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Skidding out of control on icy roads toward a solid object is a decidedly unpleasant event. It is even more unsettling if the object is a roadside barricade meant to prevent vehicles from plunging off an adjacent cliff. The more disastrous scenario is that you have lost control of your 3,000-pound SUV during a snowstorm and are sliding quickly toward a subcompact filled with a pair of astonished parents and their terrified brood.

Unless you have been trained in how to respond to a snow- or ice-induced skid, you will invariably succumb to what the experts call “target fixation.” That is: focusing on your impending doom instead of taking proper evasive action. This will result in a crash.

It’s a crash that could have been avoided, says Jerry Pearl, general manager of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Pearl has been teaching people how to drive safely in the snow for 18 years. Not just any people, either. Although the school mostly serves ordinary citizens, it has also instructed some elite police, security and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Among the program’s graduates are officers of the Defense Department, the Secret Service and the FBI. Pearl has also taught members of state and city police forces from across the country.

Most of these clients enroll in the school’s two-day Performance Program ($1,475), which teaches advanced winter driving techniques, such as deliberate, controlled skids like those performed by professional rally drivers. Pearl says a lot of engineers from various automakers also attend this course, as they find it helps them to understand vehicle dynamics — invaluable information in the design and implementation of stability and skid control systems.

Most ordinary drivers sign up for either the three-hour, half-day tutorial ($145) or the more involved full-day, six-hour course ($275).

If you live in a snowy region, other schools likely exist in your area. It’s money well spent if you consider that even the full-day course is less costly than the average insurance deductible, not to mention what you might pay in police fines and increased premiums if you are unfortunate enough to suffer a winter driving accident.

While there’s no substitute for hands-on professional instruction and actual driving experience, Pearl offers the following tips to drivers in winter conditions:

1. Be prepared: Before you set out in winter weather, make sure your vehicle is properly equipped, says Pearl. That means snow tires or chains in extreme conditions.

2. Slow down: Driving too fast is the No. 1 winter driving error, Pearl says. “Read the road to choose the appropriate speed,” he instructs. Slippery roads make every mistake happen faster and more dramatically. And don’t think antilock brakes, stability systems or other vehicle control mechanisms will help you if you’re sliding, Pearl warns. “If you’re going too fast, you’re going to go off the road and nothing’s going to change that.”

3. Look ahead: “Winter drivers need to use their eyes more effectively,” states Pearl. Not only should you be aware of road ice and other slippery conditions, but you should also double the distance you normally allow between you and the car in front of you. An easy calculation for this distance is four car lengths for every 10 mph you are traveling. That means if you are doing 40 mph, you should leave 16 car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead. Also, says Pearl, look ahead and get ready for corners and other obstacles before you arrive at them. “A good driver looks ahead and anticipates problems. An inattentive driver doesn’t watch the road and is forced to react to problems, usually abruptly.”

4. Brake before you enter a corner: Smoothly apply your brakes before you reach a corner and then release the brakes and use all the grip of the car to corner. Then, once you are through the turn, accelerate out. “Enter a corner with too much speed and then try to adjust in the corner and you will lose grip,” warns Pearl. When the wheels are braking, their surface becomes static and they can behave like four hockey pucks and can move multidirectionally (that is: spin). If that happens, you will likely lose control of your vehicle.

5. Practice the smooth and effective use of the vehicle’s controls: As in the cornering instruction above, Pearl teaches his winter driving students to use their vehicle controls smoothly and surely. “The steering wheel gives people the most trouble,” he observes. “They’re too rough and imprecise with it.” The result of bad steering wheel control is that your vehicle will become imbalanced. Once that happens, you’ll probably skid. Therefore, it’s important to stay in control of your vehicle’s weight distribution. That takes some understanding of your vehicle’s physical dynamics.

6. Be informed: Regardless of whether your vehicle is rear-wheel, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, the results of a loss of balance are the same, Pearl explains. What you need to understand is where the bulk of your vehicle’s weight resides and how your engine power can affect that weight. In a pickup, all the weight is in the front with the engine and the cab, so, with little weight over them, the rear wheels have tenuous grip and the back end can easily slip out. Likewise, a rear-wheel-drive musclecar, such as a Ford Mustang GT, has a lopsided power-to-weight ratio, so its back end is also prone to losing grip on slippery roads. A front-wheel-drive, front-engine sedan, such as a Honda Accord, also has a light rear, so that if you abruptly lift off the accelerator in a corner, all the weight shifts to the front and the rear has little grip. The result can be that the car will pull to the side in a corner and spin out.

7. Learn how to control a skid: Although this is probably best learned and practiced on a driving course, Pearl describes what you should do if you find yourself in an oversteer situation (meaning: your car is turning too much). “You have to go against your natural tendencies,” he says. “Turn into the skid. You also need to accelerate.” That last piece of advice seems to freak people out the most, he admits. “People don’t think about accelerating to control the car.” However, many oversteer skids can be controlled and a disaster averted simply by releasing the brake and gently accelerating. This transfers the weight from the front to the rear wheels, which allows you to steer into the direction of the skid, gain control of the vehicle and continue safely on your way. If you drive a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, cautions Pearl, be careful not to over-accelerate or the tires may spin and you will oversteer and slide out of the turn. In an understeer skid (when your car refuses to turn and is sliding), once again it’s important not to react instinctively by over-correcting the steering wheel, by braking or by doing both simultaneously. Understeering is usually caused by entering a corner too quickly and then turning. To turn the vehicle effectively, your wheels need grip. If you react to an understeer skid by turning more, you’re only asking for more grip, which is unavailable. The same is true if you brake. Instead, Pearl advises, in an understeer skid, carefully adjust your steering wheel until you regain some grip at the front wheels. Once grip is restored, gently and precisely add steering. Of course, this requires room to maneuver, but if you adhere to point No. 3 above, you should have plenty of room.

Mastering control of your vehicle in snow and other winter driving conditions comes with learning proper driving techniques and with experience. In time, encourages Pearl, you should develop what he calls a good “seat of the pants” feel for winter driving, meaning an intuition about how your car will behave in certain situations and circumstances.

Your New England car dealer, Berlin City Auto Group, would like to give you a quick tutorial on how to change a flat tire.

Until the day comes when we are all piloting flying cars (and trust me, the day will come), our cars are stuck with these rubber things called tires. They roll nice and all, but they have a rather nasty problem of sometimes losing air. And without air, they become deflated and virtually useless.

Changing a flat tire is not a very pleasant experience. It seems like your car purposely tries to get a flat tire at the least opportune moments. Like when you are rushing home from work to catch your favorite episode of “Happy Days,” for instance. You know the one where Fonzie rides the killer bull while on vacation in Colorado.

Now, there are some of you who might be lucky and own a car with run-flat tires or a low tire-pressure warning system. If that is the case, you might be able to avoid the icky process. But even if you are a hapless soul, changing a tire doesn’t have to be all bad. With knowledge comes power. If you are unsure how to change a tire properly, and you want to know, read on.

OK, so you are driving along and all of the sudden you hear a loud bang and the telltale thumping noise of a dead tire. You carefully pull off to the shoulder of the road. Checking to make sure no other motorists are going to run you over, you exit your vehicle and inspect the car. Sure enough, your car’s left front tire is completely flat. You are not going to be able to keep driving, so you are going to have to remove it and install your car’s spare tire in its place.

Jack up the Car
The first step is to find your car’s spare tire, jack and tire iron. The spare tire is almost always located underneath the floor mat in the trunk. Unless, of course, your car doesn’t have a trunk. If you own an SUV, minivan or pickup, the spare tire is often mounted on the back of the tailgate or underneath the vehicle itself.

Once you have found the spare tire, remove it from the car. If you have an air pressure gauge handy, you will want to check the spare tire’s pressure. If this tire is flat, too, you’re in a bit of trouble. But let’s just assume you have been keeping tabs on the spare tire’s health, and its air pressure is perfect.

The next step will involve removing the flat tire. Make sure that the car is in gear (or in “park” if the car is an automatic) and the emergency brake is set. The car should be parked on a flat piece of pavement. Do not attempt to change a flat if the car is on a slope or if it is sitting on dirt. It’s also a good idea to block the tire opposite of the flat tire. Therefore, if the left front tire is flat, it would be a good idea to place a brick or other large, heavy object behind the right rear tire. (Your cousin Fred might also be large and heavy, but it’s not a good idea to use him to block the tire). Blocking the tire makes the car less likely to move when you are raising it.

Use the tire iron (the L-shaped bar that fits over the wheel lugs) to loosen each wheel lug. The wheel lugs are almost certainly very tight. You’ll have to use brute force. Just think about how Mr. T from the “A-Team” would do it and try to be like him. Say to yourself, “Hannibal, I piddy da fool who can’t break loose wheel lugs.” You’ll have those babies loose in no time. You loosen them by turning them counterclockwise, by the way.

Now, at this point, you don’t want to actually remove the lugs. You just want them loose. Once you have accomplished this, move the jack underneath the car. If you don’t know where the proper jacking points are, look them up in the owner’s manual (you keep your owner’s manual in your car, right?).

Maneuver the jack underneath the jack point and start to raise the jack. Most car jacks these days are a screw-type scissor jack, which means you simply turn the knob at the end of the jack using the provided metal hand crank. Raise the jack until it contacts the car’s frame and continue expanding the jack.

Remove the Flat and Install the Spare
Raise the car with the jack until the flat tire is completely raised off the ground. Once this is done, remove the wheel lugs completely. Depending on how tight the lugs are you might be able to remove them by hand. Set the lugs aside in a secure location where they can’t roll away.

Position the spare tire over the wheel studs. This is the most physically challenging part of the whole process. You’ll have to hold up the tire and try to line up the holes in the wheel with the protruding wheel studs located on the brake hub. One trick that might help is to balance the tire on your foot while you move it into position.

After you have the spare tire hanging on the wheel studs, screw each of the wheel lugs back on. You’ll want to start them by hand. Make sure you do not cross-thread them. The lugs should screw on easily. Once each of them is snug and you can’t tighten them any further by hand, use the tire iron to finish the job. At this point, you don’t need to get the lugs super tight. You just want them snug for now. Make sure that the wheel is fitting flush against the brake hub.

Once the spare tire is on, carefully lower the jack. Pull the jack away from the vehicle. The final step is to tighten down the lugs completely. The reason you tighten the lugs now is that the tire is on the ground and it won’t rotate around like it would if it was still hanging in the air.

Wheel lugs have a specific torque rating that they are supposed to be tightened down to, but there is pretty much no way you can figure that out using a simple tire iron. The general rule here is to tighten down the lugs as much as possible.

That’s it. Put the flat tire in the space where the spare tire was and put the jack and tire iron back in the car. Most compact spare tires are smaller than regular tires (they look dinky and people commonly refer to them as “rubber doughnuts”), so it is possible that the flat tire won’t fit in the spare tire well. Also, compact spares have a limited top speed. The tire’s top speed will be written on its sidewall. If your vehicle has a full-size spare, you won’t encounter these problems. With the spare installed, you should be able to reach your house or the nearest service station.

Whether you are looking to buy your first car or you need to buy another family vehicle, Berlin City Auto Group can help. With a large inventory and unbelievable deals you’ll find the vehicle you want in the price range you’ll love.

With years of experience, Berlin City Auto Group is the premier used car dealership you can trust. Their sales staff is knowledgeable and committed to finding the right car for you by really listening to your wants and needs.

Berlin City specializes in used cars and has an incredible selection of trucks, cars, and SUVs. Berlin City used cars are quality pre-owned vehicles for an incredibly low price. Your New England dealer has a wide selection of reliable vehicles for under $15,000 dollars.

Berlin City Used Cars Under $15,000

• 2003 Chevrolet Tracker – This blue SUV was well maintained by its previous owner and is in great condition for having just over 100,000 miles. Equipped with a variety of features this Tracker has tinted windows, cruise control, keyless entry, and power windows and locks to name a few.
• 2006 Nissan Sentra – With less than 50,000 miles this car is a great bargain. It has a grey exterior and has some great features on the inside such as air conditioning, plenty of storage space, and a rear defroster great for those chilly winter days.
• 2006 Mazda MPV Van LX – If you’re looking for something a bit bigger this van is the perfect family vehicle at the right price. With less than 50,000 miles and a stylish design this Mazda is a cool car with a lot of life left in it. Full of safety features such as anti-lock brakes, dual air bags, and a rear window washer this van offers peace of mind.
• 2001 Toyota Tundra – Here is a great truck for sale. With low mileage and an included 7-foot homesteader plow it’s the perfect vehicle for the upcoming winter season.
• 2002 Jeep Wrangler – This classic Jeep model has only 28,875 miles and is listed for the low price of $13,995.
• 2007 Honda Fit Sport – This stylish and fuel-efficient car is in high demand these days. With four doors and a hatchback, allow wheels, and power locks & windows this car is a fantastic deal. 

Berlin City Auto Group offers pre-owned protection on all certified Berlin City Used Cars. Each car in their inventory undergoes a full 130-point inspection, a rigorous re-conditioning, and a comprehensive road test. In addition, Berlin City offers a 60 day / 2,000 mile warranty on all purchased vehicles so you don’t have to worry about your new car’s reliability.

Open six days a week, Berlin City Auto Group is conveniently located throughout New England in Portland ME, Williston VT, and Gorham, NH. Check out their comprehensive website or stop by one of their dealership locations to browse their inventory, inquiry about current deals, or to take a test drive in one of Berlin City used cars.

Used Cars For Sale

2008 Toyota RAV4 Price: $21,981	2008 Pontiac Vibe Price: $11,842	2007 Toyota Tundra Price: $18,965
2007 Subaru Forester Price: $10,873	2006 Honda Pilot Price: $17,981	2007 Jeep Commander Price: $18,984
2009 Toyota RAV4 Price: $22,853	2007 Honda Element Price: $14,681	2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Price: $10,984
2010 Toyota Highlander Price: $27,981	2008 Chevrolet Silverado Price: $7,965	2009 Toyota Corolla Price: $13,965