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It’s summer in Arkansas. The humidity is at an all-time high. It’s early morning. You’re running late to work. You didn’t have time to start your car to get it nice and cool, so now you’re sitting in a sauna. Why did you even bother to shower? You’re now drenched in sweat, and your day hasn’t even started yet. Sound familiar? We at McLarty Daniel feel your pain and see your hot box of a car, but we’re here to help! Stay Ice Cold with Cooled Front Seats While we offer cool new and used cars, trucks, SUVs and vans to drivers in Bentonville, Springdale, Bella Vista and the greater Northwest Arkansas area, we have a few tips to keep you and your car cool this summer. No sweat, no gain, they say. Last time we checked, your car’s not a gym. So instead, we say happy temperature, happy life, right? Let Your Hair Down in a Convertible Before we jump right into our tips, we can’t stress enough the most important thing you can do to make sure your car is cool is to plan ahead. If you get in the mindset of knowing your car is going to be hot, you can then prepare ways to beat the heat. Check the weather forecast and the highs for the day. If you see it’s going to be a high heat index, make sure you allot time in your schedule to make cooling your car a priority. Now that you know to plan for it, we can help with ways to keep you and your car cool. Follow these Tips to Keep Cool for the Summer: Park in a Covered Area: If possible, park your car in a covered area like a garage. If your garage is full of other items, it’s time to declutter. Your number one use of a garage is to house your vehicle. It needs love, too and a space to call home. Don’t be lazy and leave it in the driveway all night. Tuck it in for a good night’s sleep, and in the morning, it’ll be at a manageable temperature compared to sitting in direct sunlight. If you don’t have access to a garage, park in a shaded area. This applies to not just your home. If you’re out and about, find parking garages or shaded areas with trees. The more your car is out of direct sunlight, the cooler it will stay. SPF for Your Car: Not everyone has access to a garage, or a shaded area isn’t available, and we’re forced to park our beloved friend in the direct sunlight. Think of your car as you would your own body. We wear protective gear against the sun, such as sunglasses, hats, long sleeves and sunscreen. Your car needs the same TLC. Make sure your sunroof is closed so no sunlight is beating down into your car. You can purchase window sunshades that keep the heat out, as well as a dashboard sun visor. It’s also a good idea to cover your steering wheel with a towel or purchase dashboard and seat covers. If you’ve ever sat in hot leather seats, you’ve felt the pain of burning your bare thighs. Find all the necessary preventative protection there is and get it for your car. You won’t regret it when it comes to keeping cool. Full of Hot Air: So far, we’ve parked our car in a covered area, but if not, we’ve used a sun visor and all the preventative measures we can to keep our car cool. Now comes the time to get back in your car after you’ve been at work all day or it’s been parked directly in the sun. Your car is still going to be hot. This goes back to planning ahead. If your car has a remote start, you can make sure your air conditioning is turned on before you get out of your car so that when you remotely start it, it’ll kick on. Start your car five to 10 minutes before you leave, and you’ll arrive to a cooled-down car. If your car doesn’t have a remote start, you can still help alleviate the heat. Open all the doors and roll down the windows. The quicker you can get the hot air out, the better. Turn on your car’s air conditioning, and instead of pulling the air from inside the vehicle, make sure to pull it from outside. The air inside your locked-up car is going to be way hotter than the air outside. Once your car is cooled down, then you can switch the circulation back on. It also helps to turn on the lower vents and close the top vents. As much as we want to blow that cold air in our face, it’s not cold yet. If you blow air from the lower vents, it will push all the hot air up and out of the car, allowing you to cool it down faster. While there are many different ways to keep your car cool this summer, we hope these simple tips work for you. If you need a new or used vehicle, come see us at any of our six perfectly air-conditioned McLarty Daniel locations that serve NWA.

Road trips can be wonderful, but bringing pets along can be a hassle that outweighs any benefits they may bring. McLarty Daniel has put together some helpful tips for traveling with your dog or cat in order to keep your pet happy while also keeping everything on track. Breaks Stops give your dog plenty of breaks along the way so they can stretch their legs and avoid any accidents in the car. Water Make sure you give your pet plenty of water when you’re going to or from a hot location. Bring water and food bowls for your dog, and make sure to give them something to eat or drink at each rest stop. Because they fold up small and are easy to clean, collapsible bowls are a great option for road trips. Safety Keeping your dog safe in the car is an important but frequently overlooked consideration when families travel. Doggy seatbelts and collapsible dog boxes are both good options for keeping your pet in the backseat while you’re behind the wheel. With stricter pet laws in hotels and other lodging, the use of an animal cage can save the day! Update Tags and Chips One of the worst things that can happen on a road trip is being separated from a loved one, including your dog. Your pet’s tags and microchips should always be up to date so that if the unthinkable happens, you’ll be able to locate them quickly. Prepare by Exercising Similarly, tiring out your dog before hitting the road is a good idea. Spending some time on a walk or playing fetch with your pet before going on the road can save you hours of frustration. With exercise, your dog is more likely to relax and even fall asleep in the car, allowing you to focus on the road ahead! DO NOT LEAVE THEM IN A HOT CAR No matter how long it takes you to get inside the gas station or restaurant, never leave your pet in a hot car. Take turns going inside if necessary for bathroom breaks while the car is running, and look for restaurants or rest areas with outdoor areas where you can let your dog out for a bit! When you follow these tips, traveling with your dog doesn’t have to be a nightmare, even on long road trips! At our six McLarty Daniel dealerships serving Centerton, Bella Vista, Bentonville, Eureka Springs, Fayetteville, Pea Ridge, Springdale, and Rogers, Arkansas, you’ll find the ideal vehicle for you and your dog, no matter the length of the journey.

McLarty Daniel Automotive is proud to announce that we have teamed up with the Children’s Advocacy Alliance of Benton County as a 2022 Signature Pinwheel Sponsor to raise awareness for child abuse right here in Northwest Arkansas. During the month of April, across the nation and throughout our local community, thousands of brightly colored, shining pinwheels adorn the lawns of local businesses and agencies, including four of our Bentonville locations. Drive by any McLarty Daniel location in Bentonville this month, and you’ll see colorful pinwheels spinning in the wind – colorful reminders of the ongoing scourge of abuse and neglect that damages so many children and young people. The pinwheels will be displayed at McLarty Daniel Ford Lincoln, Nissan, Buick GMC, and Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. The month of April is recognized as National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. Many of our employees have young children at home, so this cause is very important to us, especially since the state of Arkansas ranked number one in the country for the number of adverse childhood experiences. Opened on January 10, 2000, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County, also known across the state as CAC, has long provided a safe place to abused children under the age of 18 in a supportive, child-friendly environment. Abused children and their family members can receive the support they need to heal through many of the CAC’s comprehensive services. These include: A child-friendly and non-threatening environment Trained forensic interviewers (bilingual services available) Specialized Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and an on-site medical exam room Child advocates to assess family needs and provide follow-up, support, and referral services On-site counselors available to meet with the child and non-offending family members All of these services are provided free of charge to the families who seek them by dedicated professionals such as interviewers, nurses, and even advocates. Here at McLarty Daniel Automotive, we’re proud to support an organization that does so much to help vulnerable and abused children in our area. CAC helps break the cycle of abuse so these victims can heal through their services, care and support. If you would like to learn more about the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County or how you can help support them in their mission, you can visit their website today at https://cacbentonco.com.