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Traveling with your dog is always fun, we know! We love dogs. Dogs are awesome and they are great friends. However, they require a little more attention when traveling because cars technically are not designed to have dogs as passengers, and also dogs can’t talk and tell us if they need anything or are uncomfortable or something. So, here’s our handy guide to traveling with your doggo and making sure they are having a great time along the way! First, if you have a sick dog, don’t make them travel with you. Take them to the vet, and then find a dogsitter or a place for them to stay while you are traveling. Make sure your dog has plenty of water to drink while you’re on the road. In order to have the chance to drink, you’re going to have to stop reasonably frequently. The water you have on hand should either be distilled water or water from home (that your dog is used to drinking). Food is a no-no until you arrive, to minimize puking risk. If you travel with your dog in a crate, make sure that the crate is large enough for your dog to stand up, sit down, turn around, and lie down in. Make sure there are soft blankets or towels and a favorite toy in the crate for their comfort. If you don’t keep your dog in a crate, invest in a harness tie-down so that your dog can’t wander around and injure themselves. Dogs love to stick their heads out the window, but this is a bad idea. Bugs, dust, debris, and other random junk can fly into their eyes and ears and cause injury. Keep the window open enough for them to get fresh air, but they shouldn’t have their heads out the window. Stop often for potty breaks, water breaks, and exercise. Not only for your pupper, but for you too! Travel Better In A New Kia!

Did you know that it’s really important that you check your oil at least once a month? It is! Of course, you should get your oil changed as regularly as your dealer recommends, but the oil is one surefire way to make sure that your vehicle’s engine is in good shape and not having any trouble. If you’re unfamiliar with how to check your oil, we’ve put together this easy guide on how to do it. Now go outside and check your oil right now - well, right after you finish reading! Open the hood and prop it up. Locate the oil dipstick next to the engine. It should have a yellow handle and/or be labeled. Pull out the dipstick and wipe it on a clean cloth or paper towel. Dip the stick all the way back in. Pull it out again and look at the oil level - if it’s in the middle of the hatched/indicated area, you’re good. More is better, less is okay, but if you’re lower than the area you need to get your oil topped up and have your system checked for leaks. Look at the oil quality and color. If there are a lot of particles or if the oil looks sludgy, you need to get it changed as soon as possible. Put the dipstick back in. Close your hood. Let Us Change Your Oil For Less

In this day and age, it seems like one of the most important things to consider when buying a new vehicle is the gas mileage. With good MPG’s, you not only save money but also the environment (especially when considering electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles). But how can you get good mileage in an older vehicle? Luckily, there are some tips and tricks that we know to help increase your MPG’s! Of course, you won’t go from getting 20 MPG to getting 70, but you know what I mean. These tips will hopefully help you see a 1-5 mile increase in your MPGs… so let us know how they work! First of all, take your foot off the gas. Speeding is the number one reason you might be getting bad gas mileage! When driving on the highway, use cruise control as much as possible. It not only helps you maintain a safe and consistent rate of speed, but it eliminates the accidental acceleration and deceleration that can come from speeding and that make your MPGs go down. When you’re stopped somewhere, don’t idle your vehicle. If you know you’re going to be stopping for more than a couple of minutes, turn your vehicle off. You’ll save gas and the environment. If you’ve got a storage box or a bike rack on your roof, consider switching to something rear-mounted. The aerodynamic quality of your vehicle is what helps your mileage, and so when you decrease how much drag is affecting your vehicle you are also decreasing your fuel economy. The final tip is to focus on driving safely. When drivers focus on the road, they are less likely to get into an accident or speed, which are both things that can make your mileage plummet. Try it out! Our Most Fuel Efficient Vehicles!

Are you fast approaching the time to renew your vehicle’s registration? Do you think about renewing your registration and kind of cringe a little bit and then try not to think about it until you really have to? Yeah, me too. But I am here to tell you that renewing your registration in Maryland is actually a lot easier than you might have initially expected! In this blog post, I am going to lay down the FACTS for you so that you will not be scared of the MVA! Check it out! So, you’ll get a registration renewal notice about two months before your registration is set to expire. On this notice will be: Your renewal fee. Renewal deadline date. Emissions check requirements, if applicable. List of red flags, if applicable, that will prevent the MVA from renewing your registration. This might include lack of car insurance or an unpaid parking ticket. You will get this in the mail unless you’ve chosen to receive it via email. If you didn't get a notice, call the MVA! You still have to renew your registration before it expires, even if you don’t get a notice. If you’ve moved, you have to tell the MVA what your new address is. You can renew your registration in four different ways - in person, at a self-serve kiosk, by phone, or by mail. Here’s how to do it each way! To renew your registration in person, you can visit any one of the following four offices: County treasurer's office (charges an extra processing fee). Title service agent (charges an extra processing fee). MVA mobile office. Full-service MVA office. You must use this office if you have any outstanding issues―unpaid traffic tickets, car insurance coverage questions― listed on your registration renewal notice. Have with you when you arrive: A completed emissions test certificate, if required. Your registration renewal notice. If you don't have one, bring your current registration certificate. Proof of car insurance coverage. Cash, check, credit or debit card to cover registration renewal fee. Call before visiting to make sure credit/debit cards are accepted. Not all offices accept them. At a self-serve kiosk, you’ll need: Current registration card or registration renewal notice. Proof of car insurance coverage. Your eight-digit title number and license plate number. Check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express to pay registration fees. These kiosks are at all MVA offices, so they’re pretty easy to find! To renew by phone, dial (410) 768-7000 and have at the ready: Your registration certificate or renewal notice. A valid credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). To renew by mail, you should follow the instructions on your registration renewal notice and: Enter any corrections or changes, if applicable. Double-check that the listed car insurance information is correct. Complete any included certifications. Submit all documents and payment (check or money order) in the provided envelope. The check must include your preprinted name and address. The MVA requests that you write your driver's license number and work phone number on the check. See? Easy. Just pick one way to renew and all the steps are right here! And remember: if you have any more car-related questions, stop on in to King Kia and we’ll be more than happy to help you! And if you want to get into a new car, we can definitely take care of that super easily. Seriously. Check Out Our Specials!