Car shopping? One important factor to consider is what each manufacturer’s warranty covers and how long the coverage lasts, as well as whether you’re going to purchase additional coverage through a vehicle service contract.

While these items can offer you peace of mind, sorting through them can be tricky. Before heading to a dealership, check out this quick look at four of the most common types of warranties and additional mechanical coverage offered on new and used vehicles.

Bumper-to-Bumper

The “basic” or “bumper-to-bumper” warranty is the most comprehensive factory warranty and covers all the original components and systems of a vehicle, excluding wear-and-tear items like tires, brake pads and wiper blades. One important area this type of warranty covers is the electrical systems. Today, vehicles are packed with electronics and computers, and repairing these can get expensive. The bumper-to-bumper warranty on a new vehicle usually lasts for three years or 36,000 miles, with some brands extending coverage to four years and 50,000 miles or five years and 60,000 miles.

Powertrain

“Powertrain” or “Drivetrain” warranties generally cover the engine, transmission and other mechanical components, and are commonly featured in vehicle ads because of their long length of coverage. Most new vehicle powertrain warranties last for five or six years, with some brands offering up to 10 years of coverage. For new hybrid electric powered vehicles, some manufacturers offer an additional warranty to cover components that are specific to these vehicles.

Corrosion

Intended to convey the quality of a vehicle, some manufacturers cover repairs for rust or premature deterioration of major sheet metal with something called a “corrosion and rust” or “body integrity” warranty. If you spend a lot of time along the coast or in areas where salt is used on the roads, this coverage can be a significant benefit. Most corrosion warranties cover the vehicle for five to seven years.

Vehicle Service Contracts

Unlike warranties provided by the manufacturer with a new car or truck, vehicle service contracts (VSCs) are purchased by the consumer from a dealership or third-party. VSC coverage can be tailored to fit a customer’s needs and budget, and can cover mechanical components, electronics and even luxury equipment like power seats or a navigation system. A VSC like Ally Premier Protection covers up to 7,400 components in a vehicle and offers additional benefits including rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, towing and reimbursement for trip interruption caused by a breakdown. Even if a vehicle is covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, customers can still use these VSC benefits. With many consumers holding onto their vehicles longer, VSCs can extend the customer’s peace-of-mind beyond the end of a manufacturer’s warranty.

For more information about new vehicle warranties visit the manufacturer’s website or local dealership. To learn more about vehicle service contracts, visit the Ally Premier Protection website at ally.com/auto/vehicle-protection.

Be a savvy consumer. Before setting foot in the dealership, learn about available warranties and vehicle service contracts that can help protect your purchase.

-Statepoint

(Austin, TX) – State Representative James White is proud to join the veteran communities in House District 19 in recognizing June 12th, 2018 as Women Veterans Day. On this day, communities across the state of Texas will be gathering in recognition of the brave women who served in the military forces.

Texas has approximately 180,000 women veterans in the State of Texas. Ten percent of the veterans residing in the Lone Star State are Texas women. While there is a decline in our veteran populations, the population of women veterans continues to increase. As a proud military veteran serving in the Texas Legislature, State Rep. White is honored to represent the large population of Southeast Texas veterans.

“Women in our armed forces have made many sacrifices and displayed tremendous valor for the love of their country. They have dedicated their lives to preserving our freedoms and I am incredibly proud to have served alongside many of them in the Army,” said Rep. White. “I am thankful to our Southeast Texas communities for honoring these outstanding women.” For ideas on how communities can help recognize women veterans, and for a listing of already scheduled events, visit www.tvc.texas.gov/women-veterans/womenvetsday/. Please do not hesitate to contact either Saul Mendoza, Chief of Staff, or Shawn Dunn, District Director, with questions regarding this release at 512-463-0490 or 409-283-3700

LUFKIN – Work is planned for Thursday at a busy SL 287 on-ramp in Lufkin that will have motorists choosing alternate directions. The northbound on-ramp at SH 94/Frank Street at SL 287 West in Lufkin will be closed through the day Thursday for mill and inlay work. The closure will involve entry/exits to several businesses and TxDOT crews will work with those businesses to allow for emergency traffic.

“This work involves the entrances to several businesses, including a nursing home and we must allow for emergency traffic to come and go from there,” said Rhonda Oaks. “Access will not be available or will be very limited to a couple of other businesses located on or near this entry ramp.” Work is expected to begin at 6 am and be completed by 4 pm, weather permitting. Motorists will be required to take alternate routes to access SL 287 West. The U-turn beneath SL 287 will remain open for those motorists who unknowingly turn onto that access ramp from SH 94 or Frank Street. Traffic control will be in place to make the public aware of the nearby work.

Motorists are urged to reduce speed in the area and stay alert to moving equipment and workers near the lanes of travel.

For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or (936) 633-4395.

From grassy picnics to sweaty soccer games to saucy cookouts — clothes can be particularly vulnerable to all kinds of stains and odors during the warm weather months.

Check out these tips for doing your laundry in a way that keeps clothes fresh and looking new as long as possible.

• Understand the basics. Different stains require different cleaning agents, and unfortunately, there is no one single ingredient that cleans all kinds of stains well. For example, milk and grass stains require enzyme cleaners, while ink or wine stains require peroxides. Of course, clothes also need brighteners and detergents to come out looking their best. Understanding these basic principles can help you treat clothes more effectively.

• Pre-treat stains. Stained clothing should be pre-treated with a tough, multi-faceted solution. Rub in pre-treatment gently and wait three to five minutes. Just be careful not to allow the solution to dry on the fabric. Some garments will need a longer pre-treatment. If so, add the solution to water and soak the soiled clothing in a bucket before washing as usual.

• Fight odor. Select products that keep laundry fresh longer. For example, Dryel has an Odor & Wrinkle Releaser that provides an extra boost of clean.

• Extend the life of clothes. Pair a great detergent with a laundry booster that can tackle multiple types of stains. For example, Biz has more stain fighters than other brands, while also brightening clothes. Available in powder, liquid and liquid boosters, independent, third party tests have shown that Biz works 80 percent better than detergent alone.

• Read the tags. When in doubt, referencing tags for washing and drying directions can help you best maintain a garment’s color, brightness and shape. More fresh laundry tips can be found at bizstainfighter.com.

No matter what sort of adventures you and your clothes get into this season, adopting better laundry habits can mean keeping your family’s garments fresh-smelling and stain-free.

-Statepoint