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This past May, General Motors and Chevrolet revolutionized their “infotainment” efforts by announcing that 14 of the new 2016 Chevrolet models will contain support for Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay. Beginning with the production of the 2016 Tahoes, Suburbans and Volts, Chevy will allow your automobile to essentially turn into a smartphone at the touch of a button. Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey connects his iPhone to the new 2016 Chevy Impala to activate CarPlay. Android Auto, with its many features from Google, has been released and is already compatible with many cars in 11 countries. The app features space for third-party apps, opening up potential expansion in the future. Apple announced plans for a similar app in 2014, and premiered CarPlay earlier this year. CarPlay is currently available on applicable 2016 Chevy models. Android Auto for these models is scheduled to be released later this year, and will be installed through a quick update at their dealership. While many auto brands are already compatible with the Android app, Chevy and GM’s 2016 announcement is the largest offering of both systems, and will lead the way for modern cars. As Apple introduces CarPlay, Android Auto premiered its first update this week, just in time for 2016 models to become available. Milton Ruben Chevrolet tried out CarPlay on the new 2016 Impala. While Apple’s goal is to eventually activate CarPlay wirelessly, Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey connected his iPhone 6 Plus to the car through a charging port. Using the touchscreen and buttons on the steering wheel, he was able to navigate through music, podcasts and audiobooks, as well as texting and calling contacts using Siri. Sales Consultant Benjamin Ivey demonstrates how to connect an iPhone to the 2016 Chevy Impala. After connecting an iPhone to a 2016 Chevy Impala, select "Apple CarPlay" on the car's touchscreen to access the device's features. After selecting "Phone" on the touch screen, you can use Siri and the car's speakers to select who to call. Even if your car does not have a navigation system, Apple Maps will guide you upon selecting "Maps" in Apple CarPlay and entering a destination. While the integration will undoubtedly be successful for Apple, Android and car manufacturers, the true value will be measured in safety. Drivers who connect their smartphone to their car will use voice activation as well as the car’s familiar touchscreen displays, buttons and knobs instead of looking down to use their phone. Currently, 9 people are killed and 1,153 people are involved in accidents each day due to distracted driving. Can we change that number? There’s an app for that.

You bought your new car from Milton Ruben - and it is everything you wanted it to be, the salesperson was informative, patient, and considerate, the finance managers worked to get you where you needed to be, the t's are crossed, the i's are dotted, and all that is left is the delivery. Believe it or not, this is the best part of our entire car-buying process here at Milton Ruben.  Not only does the sales consultant get to show you all the new bells and whistles of your vehicle, but this is also the point where you get to choose whether you'd like to participate in our Sparq program, the program that could help you win all sorts of prizes - all the way up to the chance to win a car payment*! Here's how it works: 1. You and your salesperson take a photo with your new car on their phone. 2. They input some of your info, and send a one-time only text to "claim" the photo on your smartphone. This is done on the Salesperson's phone - make sure you use your cell phone number so you can get the one-time only text message! This is your (the customer's) phone. This is a one time only text message containing the link you need to claim your photo and start competing for prizes! This is the screen you will see, with your photo on it, after you click the link in the text message. You may need to log in to Facebook before completing the process of claiming your photo.                               3. You click on the link in the text message and follow instructions through two windows. The first confirms the photo and prompts to share on Facebook or Google+. You click Facebook.  Then, after logging in, you rate your experience and write a testimonial. Don't forget to include instructions to guide your friends to "Sparq" your photo! You can also click the "Autofill" button to fill in all of that information for you. Confirm that you will allow Sparq access to your Facebook profile, and make this one time only post on your behalf. Just a couple more steps! Type in some details about your experience at Milton Ruben and/or working with your salesperson! Or, you can tap that "Auto Fill" button, and we'll fill in that info for you! You might want to tag some friends so you can get them to help you! That's it!                                   4. After completing the testimonial portion, click to share the photo link on your Facebook newsfeed, and encourage your friends and family to follow the link to our Facebook page, where they can click the orange button to "Sparq" your photo. This is how the link will look on your Facebook profile/ in your News Feed. All your friends have to do is click on the link... And click on the orange button! You will see the trophies light up as you hit each tier of the prize structure! Good luck!                                             5. Let it ride (possibly reminding your friends by sharing your original post every once in a while) for 30 days and see what you've won!     The Rules/ The Extras: - The contest only lasts 30 days.  Email socialmedia@miltonruben.com or contact your salesperson to claim your prize at the end of that 30 days. - If you got 200 Sparqs, your name will be entered into a drawing to be held at the end of the next month.  The name drawn will be the recipient of one month's car payment, up to $500. - No duplicates. If you and your spouse bought a car together, only one of you may compete. - Recipient's participation allows Milton Ruben to use this photo in any marketing materials, including but not limited to upload to their public Facebook page. - Facebook "likes" do not count as "Sparqs." Participants must follow the photo link to the app on our Facebook page and click the orange "Sparq" button to be counted as a vote. - Participants are limited to one "Sparq" per Facebook page per 30 days.  The application will not allow you to vote more than once in 30 days.   *The winning customer's monthly car payment will be covered up to $500.

Everyone does it while they're sitting in traffic in front of a school their kids don't even attend - carry the four, subtract from the two, divide by the equal coefficient of the previous exponent.  (Math isn't my strong suit.) Wait, THAT is how much I'm spending on gas to get to work every morning?! That can't be right... Let's start over. It's been a battle we've all been fighting for about fifteen to twenty years now, watching the yo-yo of fuel tease us with a road trip across the country in a double wide RV, then sky rocket to becoming a shut-in. The reality of the scary high gas prices is something we can't help you bring down. But we can help you save the gas that's in your tank, and stretch it a bit further.  Here are a few tips to keep you out of line at the pump: How to Save Gas and other tips to save money at the gas pump. Milton Ruben Superstore, Augusta, GA Travel Tips. 1. Stop Driving Like A Jerk. We're not in Atlanta here guys. (No offense, ATL.) There is absolutely no need to weave through traffic, cutting off your neighbors, and challenging the blood pressure medications of your elders.  Studies have shown that slowing gradually to a stop, and slowly accelerating to speed can increase the life of your gas tank by as much as 35%.  That may be worth retiring your Road Raging ways. 2. Think Twice Before Topping Off. Yes, I know, that gas station's price tag is two cents lower than the last time you filled up.  But fuel is weight, weight is resistance, and resistance is a lower MPG.  Capiche?  Depending on how far out of the way that perfect gas station is (if it's far from home/work, consider the gas you're using to get there as lost every time you wander to the hills for a fill up), it's actually more efficient to fill to half or three-fourths to save on weight, then fill most of the way up again once you hit a quarter tank. Another Plus: Not riding your tank on gas fumes could help elongate the life of your fuel pump. 3. Keep Up On Proper Maintenance. There are a lot of things we go over in our multi-point inspections that have a huge impact on the overall health of your vehicle - that's why we want to check them each and every time you visit. Air filters are commonly overlooked, and can be seen as an unnecessary commodity, but a dirty air filter can lower your miles to the gallon by as much as 10%.  Additionally, a poor alignment can make your engine work harder to effectively turn the wheels, which you'll pay for at the pump. 4. Keep An Eye on Tire Pressure. Have you ever noticed how flat tires don't roll so well? Although you may not notice it, if your tire's air pressure is low, it's wrecking all kinds of damage - on both your tire, and your mileage.  The lack of pressure means the wheel has to work harder to get it to turn, which means more work from the engine, and so on, until your gas pump becomes the end result. (Be aware that weather can affect your TPMS.) 5. Consider Investing in a Diesel or a Hybrid. Although Diesel can often be a good deal pricier than conventional fuel, it would have to be a solid 25-30% more expensive to outweigh the benefits in efficiency.  Because Diesel uses heat from compression to ignite the engine, rather than sparks, they need less energy to start - and keep going. Not only do Hybrids save at the pump by using a variety of energy sources to keep those wheels a turnin', there are also a lot of rebate offers and tax breaks on alternative energy investments - including the Hybrid. 6. Drive Smarter. Idling for more than a minute wastes more gas than just starting up your car again. Cruise Control is a blessing on flat lands, but if you're taking a visit to the foothills, do without.  When the light ahead of you is red, take your foot off the gas.  If you reach the light by the time it turns green, you just saved yourself a few mpg for the tank by not coming to a full stop before accelerating again. 7. Use Technology. Using contraptions like GPS can help plan out your trip on shorter distances (fewer miles, less gas), or more highways (consistent speed saves on gas).  There are also a lot of apps out now that will show you the cheapest gas in your general area. ( check out CNN's best here) It's an imperfect world, and there may not be much we can do at this precise juncture to help keep you from forking over all of your hard-earned dough at the fuel pump, but we can decrease the frequency that you have to make that depressing little visit. Do you have any tips or tricks to increase your mpg?   To learn more about keeping your tires in tip-top shape, make sure you're buying the right kind. For more helpful tips to keep your vehicle in shape, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google!

I'm going to start yet another one of our blogs referencing downhill skiing road trips with my family.  But this one is not nearly the fun topic that tire traction in certain weather conditions was.  This one is much less pleasant. We did a lot of traveling when I was a kid, the majority of which were populated by the twisty-turney hairpin roads of the Carolina mountains (yes, they exist).  Sadly, I had to begin each ski trip trying desperately to part the fog of 90's Dramamine and focus all of my energy on keeping my eyes open long enough to get to the bottom of the slope before dozing off on the chair lift.  Thanks to car sickness, the mornings of most family ski trips are an extremely vague, dreamy memory. And now, with the school year closing down and the summer road trip plans opening up, I'm going to share what I've learned from copious amounts of research and experience, if only to save a few from the foggy memories of childhood vacations. The most popular theory as to the cause of motion sickness is a disagreement between the senses that track motion - the inner ear, and the eye.  So in the case of motion sickness caused by air travel, boat travel, or car travel, you are inside of a vehicle that leads your eye to believe you are not moving, but the fluid in your inner ear that determines balance can sense that you are moving.  On the converse, some people will experience motion sickness while watching movies or playing video games, when your eyes are perceiving motion, and your ears can't feel a thing. The concept follows that motion sickness is a defense mechanism, nausea being triggered by your brain interpreting the clash of sensory information as hallucinations, assuming that you have been poisoned by some variety of neurotoxin.  The brain releases transmitters to cause nausea in an effort to void the body of toxins.  (The human body is an amazing thing, isn't it?) Well, sort of.  Because motion sickness is incredibly unpleasant.  So here's how you can attempt to avoid it. PREVENT MOTION SICKNESS: - Keep your head very still. Some believe sleeping is the best way to do this. - Avoid alcohol and heavy or fatty meals. Food or drink with high acidity content are more likely to upset your stomach when your brain starts sending signals to it.  Sticking to light, low-fat snacks before a long trip is best. - Eat and hydrate. Believe it or not, you're more likely to become nauseated on an empty stomach, because there's nothing there to combat the stomach acid.  Keep it light, but make sure it's not empty. - Avoid anything over-stimulating to the senses. Strong odors, spicy foods, even bright light can irritate your senses, and further irritate the movement sensation, thus the nauseated feeling being caused by it.  Pretty weird, right? - Take Dramamine, or some other variety of over-the-counter antihistamine created to treat this variety of nausea.  Dramamine now makes a supposedly less-drowsy version, but it still knocks me out.  Which could very easily be a good thing in the case of kids, couldn't it? (PS: Children's Dramamine also works on pups who get carsick, but make sure you talk to your vet before you decide on dosage.) - Transdermal Patches. Also known as Scopolamine, this patch is placed directly behind your ear and releases medicine through your skin to prevent nausea. - Buy the Wristband. There are a variety of these on the market now, with a small round object that presses directly on a specific vein in your wrist.  The idea is a concept of acupuncture to relieve nausea.  And it's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying your own Google Glass to alter perspective. - Alter Your Perspective or Block the Perception of Motion. This is basically tricking your brain.  Supposedly, if you focus your view on the distant horizon through the front windshield of a vehicle, your eyes will then see that you are moving, now in sync with the motion detected in your inner ear, thus preventing the detection of hallucination.   Or, if you've already fallen victim to the unpleasant wooziness: HOW TO TREAT MOTION SICKNESS - Meds. Of course, it would be most effective if you took it beforehand, but the transdermal patches, dramamine, and other medicines are still effective if the nausea has already hit. - Chew Gum. Preferably the minty variety.  Your guess is as good as ours as to why it works - perhaps the combination of mint to settle your stomach, jaw action to disrupt your inner ear, and simply distracting you from being aware of the nausea? - Hot Tea. Preferably decaffeinated. Warm liquids are easier on the stomach than ice water is, and staying hydrated is vital.  Bonus points if you add one of the next two remedies to the tea. - Peppermints. The menthol in mints relaxes stomach muscles, making it less likely for your nausea to actually result in anything even more unpleasant. - Lemon, Green Apple, or Apple Cider Vinegar. The basic properties in all of these ingredients help fight the acidity that causes nausea. - Ginger or Ginger Ale. Raw and crystallized ginger has been long known to solve any malady in multiple cultures.  A little goes a long way, so be careful with it.  It has also been disputed among researchers whether traditional, Americanized ginger ale would have the same affect.  Personally, I find it does.  Particularly the Michigander Vernor's, though I'm sure Carolina Ginger Ale would also be effective. - Olives contain tannins, which dry out your mouth, fighting another symptom of motion sickness, excessive saliva. Additionally, the saltiness can feel comforting to your upset tummy. Do you have any preventative measures or remedies to motion sickness? To get the most out of your family road trip, make sure you have the perfect family car. If you enjoy Road Trip tips and tricks, check out our blogposts on Preparing Your Car For a Long Trip, Travel Tips with Kids, or Vehicle Pet Safety Tips. You can also learn how to keep the ride a bit smoother on your next car trip by buying the right tires. This post was written by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

You'll never meet a Toyota Tacoma owner who doesn't absolutely love their truck. And it is perfect just the way it is. But if you do want a little more sparkle and shine, we are, as always, here with a few modifications available to you and your Tacoma, with the help of Toyota Sales Manager and Tacoma owner Jeff Hennen. #TacomaTough Part 1: Hood Protector and LED DayTime Running Lights With the ClearCoat paint protection available on all Toyotas these days, you may think getting a hood protector is a little over the top.  But the hood protector does so much more for your Tacoma, protecting your hood from excessive road wear like small rocks, and your windshield from potential scratches or breakage from road debris and bugs. LED lights are extremely bright for low-light situations like cloudy days, and save you battery power. #TacomaTough Part 2: Lifts, Levels, Tires, & Wheels For a higher or more aggressive appearance, the Tacoma is widely customizable with a variety of lift and leveling kits, as well as a variety of wheels and tires to choose from, including mud tires and customized wheels. #TacomaTough Part 3: Running Boards You can also step it up to your lifted Tacoma with the help of customizable Running Boards, available with perfect fit to your Tacoma year and trim to make stepping into your higher presence vehicle a little easier.  Chrome can add some flash as well to polish a little more finish on your beauty of a small truck with a big personality. #TacomaTough Part 4: Camper Shells For more protection and containment of your cargo, there are plenty of options for a Camper Shell to cover the truck bed of your Tacoma.  This one, from LEED, is insulated, with a sliding window to connect to your cab.  This particular camper shell is also lockable to secure your Tacoma's cargo. #TacomaTough Part 5: Bed Liners and Mats Being a Taco owner himself, Jeff Hennen knows how frustrating it can be when your cargo slides around in the truck bed. This is why he's customized his truck with the help of a Bed Liner and Weather Mat, not only securing his cargo, but also protecting his knees when he climbs into the bed to retrieve it.  The Weather Mat's rubberized texture also assists in these points, and the water-resistant structure makes it easy to clean in the case of spills. Thanks for watching our series on how to customize your Tacoma and make it even tougher! To stay up to date on other ways to make your vehicle experiences better, follow us on Facebook, Google, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.   You may also be interested in learning about our New Owner's Clinic, where we feature Q&As with our Service and Parts teams, as well as the newest accessories for your vehicle. Video and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

Buying vehicles is such an exciting experience, people oftentimes are overwhelmed with information once the salesperson starts teaching about the features on your new car. This is why we have started our New Owner’s Clinic, for recent buyers who have questions about their warranty, parts & accessories, routine maintenance, technology, or anything else. And as a thank you for your purchase and attendance, dinner is on us! Here’s a synopsis of our first New Owner’s Clinic at Milton Ruben Toyota in April of 2015! Did you miss it? Get in touch with your salesperson to find out about our next New Owners Clinic! Must be recent buyer of a vehicle from Milton Ruben Toyota to attend. See some cool Parts & Accessories go to work on a Toyota Tacoma in our #TacomaTough customization series! Video, photos, and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

Buying vehicles is such an exciting experience, people oftentimes are overwhelmed with information once the salesperson starts teaching about the features on your new car. This is why we have started our New Owner's Clinic, for recent buyers who have questions about their warranty, parts & accessories, routine maintenance, technology, or anything else. And as a thank you for your purchase and attendance, dinner is on us! Here's a synopsis of our first New Owner's Clinic at Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in April of 2015! Did you miss it? Get in touch with your salesperson to find out about our next New Owners Clinic! Must be recent buyer of a vehicle from Milton Ruben Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to attend. Video, photos, and post by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

We know you want to take advantage of all the fancy bells and whistles on your new vehicle! That's why we sat down with one of our Certified Salespeople from each of our dealerships to show you how to pair your phone to bluetooth and gain access to such features as hands-free calling, messaging, music streaming, and more!  Check 'em out! Toyota - How to Pair Your Phone to the Entune Digital Information System on your Toyota See more about Milton Ruben Toyotas on our YouTube Channel. Mopar - How to Pair Your Phone to the UConnect Digital Information System on your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, or Ram vehicle See more about our Mopar products on our YouTube Channel. Chevy - How to Pair Your Phone to the Chevy MyLink Digital Information System on your Chevrolet vehicle See more about our Chevy products on our YouTube Channel. To stay up to date on our How To videos and get the most out of your Toyota, Scion, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, or Chevrolet vehicle, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google!   If you have other Auto How-To questions, check out our How To channel on youtube! Videos and post by Milton Ruben Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

For whatever reason, we like to pressure ourselves every year in the hunt for the perfect Valentine's Gift for your special someone, and we frequently will break the bank doing it.  This year, skip the cookie calories, the chocolate sugar rush, the blinding bling, and the flower allergic reactions and get your special someone (or thing) something truly special - a car part or accessory!  We have a few ideas for every budget to get those creative motors rolling and help cupid string a heart arrow on his bow to let love fly with these fun suggestions from our Parts Department! For The "Truck Guy or Gal:" $$$ - Big trucks are a signature of the South! Help your honey get up there with a lift kit! $$ - Who doesn't love to get a little mud on the tires? The problem comes when the mud gets INSIDE the truck! For those love and muddin' moments, we suggest Weather Tech mats! Laser defined and built to precision for your exact model, Weather Tech mats protect the upholstery of your vehicle from becoming the collateral damage. $ - Express yourself and protect your hitch with a custom hitch cover flaunting your team, military branch, or alma mater! For the Jeep Head: $$$ - All Jeeple take pride in the tracks they leave - and Jeep's latest project is to let you leave those tracks right on the hood of your Jeep! Pre-order a custom trail map hood for your honey's Jeep to express the love of where they've been, and where you're going together. (Cue "Awe"s - and yes, you can use that on the card when you deliver your awesome gift!) $$ - The beautiful part of being a Jeep owner is that you get to personalize your vehicle. A custom wheel cover on your baby's Wrangler can add just a little extra touch to the personal Jeep! For the Muscle Maniac: $$$ - Performance Packages or Brembo brakes - if you've got the cash and you want to spend it on your sweetheart, you will send their heart a revving with one of these powerful modifications! (But check to make sure they don't already have one!) $$ - Take a page from my book - I gifted my then boyfriend, now fiance with custom color protective mats for his muscle car that match the obnoxious orange he holds so dear! Now his muscle car is show-ready! $ - Can't afford a whole shifter? How about a custom shift knob? From the freaky to the humorous to the classic, shift knobs vary in cost from $12 - hundreds, and make the perfect "I care" gesture. For The SuperMom: $$$ - Oh honey. In this case, it's time to invest in some serious "thank you" bling - she deserves it! $$ - We're going back to Weather Tech mats again! They come right out and can be hosed down! Seriously - hosed down! Easiest clean up post soccer game/ celebratory drive through ice cream in the car ever! $ - We have two options for this category - a cargo net, for all of the piles of the kid's stuff that flies everywhere in the trunk, and rain guards (aka: window visors) to protect upholstery from the rain when the kids forget to roll up that cracked window in the summer. There you have it! Gift ideas for every car person in your life to fit every budget! Just call or visit our parts department to learn how to access these gifts for your sweetheart! To stay in touch with other fun tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google! This post was written by Milton Ruben Superstore Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

The Holiday Season is coming to a close the same way it does every year - with a ball dropping and everyone scribbling (or typing) away at some new resolutions for a brighter 2015.  We know how hard it can be to keep those resolutions when Farmhaus comes out with a delicious new burger or fashions up an incredible sounding milkshake - and we can't help you with keeping off the pounds.  But we can help you with a few others. 1. Stop Texting And Driving A majority of our new vehicles have a digital information center specifically garnered to what was most important to customers.  Equipped with bluetooth and voice to text, these info systems will not only sync with your phone to read received text messages, but will send a reply at your command. 2. No Fender Benders Again, our new vehicles were made with technology that we couldn't even dream of fifteen years ago - including back-up cameras, blind spot notification, cross traffic warnings, and lane departure warnings.  You will know if someone is sneaking up behind and you will be beeped at if you're getting distracted, for a safer 2015. 3. Save Money On Gas Gas prices are dropping, and that's been pretty exciting, but you can still save even more at the pump with our fuel efficient ecos and hybrids! 4. Make Informed Decisions With how hectic life gets, its understandable that we might fly off the handle and make a spontaneous choice now and again.  But you don't have to go in to our dealership blind - we have walk around videos of almost every car on our lot, showing you the best features and details of each car so you can be a little more informed when you come in. 5. Get a Better Education While we might not be able to help you directly with this, we do have a recent college grad discount, not to mention our DriveBaby Photo Contest, which rewards a $1k scholarship to the Grand Prize Winner. 6. Take Care of Yourself We won't even address how frequently our customers have said buying here was a " stress-free experience."  But we will let you know that you can get half of your car-shopping experience taken care of before even changing out of your pajamas on a long weekend with our helpful Internet Sales Team. 7. Manage Debt We frequently refer to ourselves as an "auto mall" because that's what we are.  We sell literally hundreds of cars every month, and we want to keep doing that.  With our superb Finance Managers, incredible stock, and informed sales teams, we are confident that whatever situation you're facing, we can help. Don't take on 2015 alone when studies show New Years Resolutions are better kept with help!  Call us today to find out how we can help you with one of your resolutions this year!   For more tips and news from Milton Ruben Superstore, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google!   This post was written by Milton Ruben Superstore Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

We know you are all prepping for the Holiday in the last available moments before Christmas in upon us - last minute shopping, packing, and travel plans.  We hope our Thanksgiving post about preparing for a safe road trip has been helpful in mapping out the routes!  And we want to continue helping ease the chaos of holiday travel with a few ideas to calm the kids on your next trip to Grandma's house. QUIET TIME ACTIVITIES Pack some in-car games to keep the kids distracted.  Plan a new game for each leg of the trip and reward the kids when they've completed each game with a snack or small toy from the closest dollar shop.  Thankfully, there are a lot of resources out there with ideas for in-car activities, and some have even put together printables to make it easier for you! FREE Printable Road Trip Activity Links: License Plate Numbers and other games, Fast Food I Spy, Travel Bingo O r if your family is a little more tech-savvy, you can download an interactive game of Bingo to your mobile devices and play as a family for a couple of bucks. Of course, there is always the handy DVD player if you have one.  Some of our newer models come with multiple screens and multiple players, as well as headphones so you don't have to listen to Frozen for the seven hundredth time. QUALITY TIME ACTIVITIES Play the group road trip games you remember as a child - 20 questions, the A-Z game (find a word in a sign or billboard that starts with the letter "A", then find one that starts with "B" and so on.  The first to finish wins!), or the States game (whoever finds the most states on passing license plates in a ten-minute period wins!), or a number of other Road Trip Time Passers. If you've found an online game you and your kids love playing together, you can hook up to your in-car WiFi and play away! PACK A SNACK KIT It's one of two terrible things to hear on highway 720 in the middle of nowhere - "Mom, I'm huuuuungryyyyy..."  Luckily, some absolutely brilliant moms have come up with some incredibly genius solutions to the road trip snack time crisis.  (As for the "I haf to use the bafroom..." we wish you luck.  And possibly a detail coupon.) Did you know that a tackle box gives you a waterproof, compartmentalized carrier for snacks?  Or that a mostly empty peanut butter container is the perfect vehicle for a few stalks of celery?  A writeable CD container holds onto a bagel sandwich pretty nicely without it falling apart.  Clean coffee creamer containers keep and distribute pretzels and cheerios fairly easily, and are small enough to slip into a diaper bag.  Be creative! And use Stow-N'-Go to keep things that are not being used out of the way during snack time! STOCK YOUR EMERGENCY KIT It is essential that everyone have an emergency kit in their vehicle.  You never know what could occur on that backroad you're using to avoid the traffic on I-20.  And you never know how long it will take for first responders to get there (remember that traffic, now).  Gauze, burn aid, band-aids, neosporin, water, aspirin, gatorade, blankets, flares and glow sticks, a flashlight, batteries, etc.  You can purchase one that is pre-made or you can put one together yourself.  But you should have one in your vehicle at all times. PACK A SICK KIT Motion sickness is something a significant portion of people suffer from.  It can really make a road trip miserable for those of us with the green gills.  Prep ahead of time so you're ready to ease your little one's pain when it sets in.  Here's a handy infographic we found with some great ideas for your Car Sick Kit. If this doesn't work, it definitely does make one consider WeatherTech Mats, doesn't it? So easy to clean, and it's not just for mud, folks. MAKE TIME FOR PIE This one was too cute to pass up!  Not only is it an excuse to stop and rest, allowing the driver a minute to readjust, letting everyone stretch their legs and backs, but it's also a great excuse to eat desserts.  If you're going on a long road trip, and you'll be making several stops for meals and gas, pick up a dessert at a local eatery while you're there.  Everyone can keep a score card and rate who had the best desserts, and then you'll know where you need to stop next time! This is kind of a way to tie it all together in both a tip and an overall perspective.  Traveling with kids can be a real challenge - especially if they're active and antsy (I feel your pain, kids.  Sitting still stinks.), but it's also a captive audience.  It's an opportunity where all of you are in one place at one time, with one goal.   Cherish the little moments with your little ones, create some memories, and make the most of it.  These are the times that fly by in the blink of an eye, but you can make it fun while it lasts!  We hope some of these tips will help making that happen.   Safe Travels and Happy Holidays!   For more tips and news from Milton Ruben Superstore, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Google! This post was written by Milton Ruben Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.

You accidentally hit "off" instead of "snooze" on the alarm.  The shower water took forever to warm up, the shirt you planned to wear is actually still crumpled at the bottom of the dirty clothes pile, you're out of coffee, and the kids are still in their pajamas when you need to be walking out of the door.  As if all of this isn't enough, it's also winter, and the South finally decided to express it with a nice layer of frost over your car. Hopefully you read this post, and you have plenty of options in your arsenal to ensure that ice doesn't slow you down on your already-late-for-everything day.  No matter what your budget, location, or car knowledge, it is possible for your vehicle to be completely defrosted and safe to drive by the time the toddler is hooked into her car seat and the teenager is bugging you for driving lessons.  In fact, you can put that kid to work by demonstrating these tips, they're so easy! COVER IT UP On an otherwise dry evening, frost and ice forms from the dew that settles and freezes as temperatures plummet overnight.  You can have that dew settle on something else rather than your windows by simply inserting a barrier. You can purchase a commercial tarp or cover for $15-$50 at most vehicle maintenance shops, but they don't tend to stay stocked down here, so you can try your own as well.  Blankets, towels, folded sheets, even newspapers can help keep your windshields free of Frozen! (We can't say the same about the DVD player in the back.) WATER Be careful with this one, folks.  If you decide to pour a bucket of water over your windshield to help melt the ice, make sure you're in the right conditions to do so.  For one, don't use cold water - that might just freeze over the frost and give you a thicker layer of ice to chip through.  Don't use boiling or hot water either - the extreme temperature changes could have a significantly negative impact on the glass.  As in, a shattering experience.  IF you decide to use water (since it's easily accessible to everyone), use lukewarm water and very quickly wipe down the windshield after dispensing a bucket over it.  And if it's less than 25F out, just toss this idea altogether and watch the icicles form as the water hits the frigid air. CONCOCTIONS Some brilliant people who probably grew up in Minnesota or Michigan invented this spectacular stuff that squirts out of a bottle and literally MELTS ice!  You can sometimes buy this inexpensive commercial concoction where you get the rest of your maintenance materials, but you might have better lucky ordering online or having your cousin in Minnesota sending you a bottle.  Or you could just make your own by filling a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and adding a few squirts of dish soap (mix well, don't shake).  Also known as hand sanitizer. SURROUND THE ICE If you're anything like me, you're number one concern when you leave the house is to get to the car as quickly as possible, climb inside, crank the heat, and try not to think to hard about going back in for a pair of gloves.  Lucky for you, there is an option to help that defroster move along a little.  Turn the heat all the way up, the defroster all the way on (don't forget the rear defroster if you have it), and place your hand on the top of the window.  This could leave a hand print on the glass (which can be cleaned up later with some window cleaner), but the warmth of your hand will act as a second defroster, sending heat through the glass and melting the ice at the top, while the car helps melt from the bottom, doubling the speed and keeping you inside the car. REMOTE START If you've ever wondered "Why would I ever need to start the car before I'm in it?" this is the answer to that question.  If the weatherman is calling for frost, turn the temperature gauges to heat and defrost before you go in for the night.  The next morning, you can turn the engine on while you're still zipping up the kid's coats and distributing lunch boxes.  By the time you get everyone buckled in and ready to go, so is the vehicle. HOW NOT TO DE-ICE YOUR WINDSHIELD With Cold or Boiling Water Cold water could freeze over the top of your windshield, especially if it's particularly cold out.  Boiling water could shatter your windshield from the excessive temperature difference. With Salt Water Up North, they use Road Salt to melt ice and snow and make the roads easier to navigate, right? So it would only make sense to use that, right? Wrong.  Salt is bad for your car.  There's really no getting around that.  It causes corrosion, rust, and creates damage that can only be replaced - not undone.  This is why people from the frigid areas of the country tend to keep their nice vehicles cooped up in the garage during their Great White Winters. With a Credit Card Often used as an ice scraper for those that can't find theirs, Credit Cards offer a stiff, flat edge to get under the ice and chip away at it. Not only is this time-consuming, but you could scratch the glass by wearing down the curved edges of the card into a sharper, knife-like blade and cutting into the windshield.  Dropping it in drifts of slush and ice is also pretty easy, and would mean you have a long morning of calling to cancel said card and re-order another. You're going to need that Credit Card to buy a cup of hot cocoa once you're done freezing your hands off chipping away at ice. Not Do It Frost and ice are significant visual blocks.  Don't put yourself and your passengers in danger because you're in a hurry.  Be safe, be responsible, and use one of these easy tips to de-ice your car. OTHER HELPFUL TIPS Clear the grill of any ice or snow to make sure ventilation to the engine prevents overheating Vinegar could prevent frost from forming When you frost is coming, lift your windshield wipers off of the windshield and cover them with socks to prevent ice from damaging the rubber Ask your Service Advisor for advice   For more helpful tips on car safety, maintenance, and news, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, and Google. This post was written by Milton Ruben Superstore Social Media Specialist Heather Cortright.