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INFINITI of South Atlanta is excited to welcome Glenn Hartley as the new Service Department Manager! An Atlanta native, Glenn has spent most of his life in the area, growing up in Doraville near Spaghetti Junction and attending Georgia State University after high school. Glenn began his automotive career in December 1985 at Goodyear, gaining extensive experience throughout Atlanta before taking the next step in 1993 by joining a Toyota dealership in Chamblee. Over the years, he steadily advanced in the industry, earning his first Service Manager position in 2003. Outside of work, Glenn enjoys spending time with his family. He and his wife Robin have been married for 25 years and are proud parents of three daughters. His personal interests include woodworking, boating, and tackling DIY projects around the house. With his decades of experience and dedication to excellent service, Glenn Hartley brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to INFINITI of South Atlanta’s Service Department, ensuring every customer receives the exceptional care they deserve. Join us in welcoming him to the team as we look forward to the future of INFINITI of South Atlanta!

INFINITI of South Atlanta is a proud sponsor and regular donor of Meals on Wheels of Coweta! Meals on Wheels of Coweta is a non-profit organization offering free services to seniors who are homebound because of disability, chronic illness and don’t receive regular assistance from others. Since many are unable to prepare meals for themselves, Meals on Wheels volunteers prepare and deliver home-cooked meals 5-7 days a week. What many don’t know is Meals on Wheels of Coweta offers services other than providing meals! They also offer handyman repairs, friendly visits to combat loneliness, as well as, pet food/care assistance. Meals on Wheels of Coweta does not receive financial support from the government so, without donors, grantors or volunteers, this organization would not exist. If you are interested in donating, volunteering or simply want more information about this amazing organization, visit, www.MealsOnWheelsOfCoweta.org. You can also email them at mowcoweta@numail.org.

It’s time to start thinking about it. Winter. Even as we enjoy the onset of autumn’s splendor, we know winter is not far behind. Is your vehicle ready? While the weather is pleasant, take a few minutes to do some simple checks. Lights: Do all the lights on your car or truck work properly? It’s easy to tell if a headlight has failed, but burned out brake lights, blinkers, and marker lamps aren’t always apparent. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to replace the bulbs yourself; especially now, with so many vehicles using LED lighting elements, fixing a problem may require the help of a dealer technician, but you can spot the lights that are out yourself. Make sure the headlights, both low and high-beam, are operating correctly. To check the other lights, turning the vehicle on to its “accessory” position might be necessary. Make sure the blinkers all work, left and right, front and rear. Many vehicles now have additional blinkers in the mirrors or sides of the vehicle, so be sure to check those if your car or truck has them. Get an assistant to step on the brake pedal while you make sure all your brake lights – left, right and center high-mounted – are working. Remember to check license plate lights, position lights, reverse lights, running lights and parking lights. Wipers and Windshield: Is it hard to see out your windshield at night or in the rain? If the answer is yes, you’ll want to correct the situation. Wipers that smear, chatter, or otherwise fail to clear the windshield are a big danger you can fix quickly and inexpensively. If you don’t remember the last time the wiper blades were changed, now is a good time to replace them. Check the operation of your windshield washer system, too. Do the nozzles spray a strong stream on the windshield? If you can’t see, you’re more likely to hit things. The windshield itself can pick up rock chips and other damage that reduces visibility. Keep the windshield clean, inside and out; physical damage to the windshield glass can sometimes be repaired, and windshield replacement, if necessary, may be covered by your car insurance, depending on your coverage. Tires: Even if you’re not in a region where winter tires are necessary, you need good tires for maximum safety. Look for uneven wear patterns or low tread depth. Worn tires are more likely to hydroplane, and they give up dry traction, too. Any obvious damage–– including chunks missing, nails or screws in the tread, bubbles or cuts in the sidewalls, suspicious bulges or flat spots in the tread, etc.––can be an immediate hazard and should be addressed right away. Fluids: This one is possibly the simplest. Make sure all of the fluids are at the proper levels, especially the windshield washer fluid. It’s a good idea to carry an extra bottle or two of washer fluid, as well, because it’s easy to go through a lot of it when you need to keep salt spray off the windshield. Power steering fluid, engine coolant and brake fluid are vital to safe driving, as well; if you don’t feel comfortable checking these fluids yourself, your service department will happily take a look. Most of these checks are included with a routine vehicle maintenance visit, so you could make it easy by heading in for an oil and filter change and multi-point inspection. Then you can head into the winter months confident that your car won’t let you down when you need it the most. This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.

No matter how much work you put into keeping your vehicle's exterior looking clean and shiny, passengers are likely going to be more interested in how you take care of it on the inside. If your vehicle's upholstery is dingy, stained or emitting some strange odor, you'll want to take steps to ensure that your interior is looking every bit as good as your exterior. Not only will this prevent passengers from turning up their noses at you, but it will also help your vehicle retain more of its value over time, which helps if you decide that you'd like to sell it one day. Stock up on the right supplies Before you dive into cleaning your interior, be sure you have everything you need at your disposal. Running in and out of the house or to and from the store for cleaning tools will make upholstery care a much bigger chore than it needs to be. YourMechanic's Mark Vallet recommends essentials such as microfiber cloths; a soft, clean sponge or cloth; a vacuum; a bucket of warm water; and a bristled, yet soft scrubbing brush. You'll also need some kind of upholstery cleaner, but you should take care to ensure that the product that you choose is appropriate for the material in your vehicle. Apply care 101 Before you get into the nitty-gritty or nooks and crannies of upholstery care, it's good to start by removing any clutter on, under or around your seats. You'll also want to take out any floor mats to ensure that you clean the area beneath them. Once your seats and floors are bare, use your vacuum to remove dust, dirt and debris. Vallet recommends a wet/dry vacuum due to its superlative cleaning power and an extended cord and hose. Once you are satisfied that you've vacuumed up as much of the dirt as you can, Vallet suggests going over your surfaces with a moist cloth and spot-testing your cleaning agent. Refresh cloth seats If you would prefer a more natural solution to cleaning your cloth seats, or even just a more affordable choice, you can easily concoct a home remedy that is as effective as anything you'll find at the store. Angie's List Founder Angie Hicks suggests combining a gallon of water with a cup of vinegar and a touch of dish soap. Using a hard-bristle brush, lightly apply this mixture to your fabric surfaces and let sit for 30 minutes. Once it's sat long enough, apply warm water and blot dry. If you want something more fragrant, you can include a few drops of essential oils to your cleaning mixture. This provides a fresh scent without the heaviness of a chemical solution. Condition leather upholstery Leather upholstery requires a softer touch than fabric upholstery, which is why DIY Network recommends against using ammonia- or bleach-based cleaners. If you don't want to invest in a leather-specific cleaning substance, you can make your own homemade solution by mixing five parts warm water with one part liquid dish soap in a bucket. Apply to a cloth and wipe down your seats and surfaces thoroughly. Use a second cloth, damp with water, to wipe clean and a towel to dry. If your elbow grease is just not enough to renew your car's interior satisfactorily, or your schedule is just too packed to do your vehicle justice, consider reaching out to the professionals to get the job done properly. Your vehicle is one of your biggest investments, and spending a little time or money to make sure that its interior is well-maintained is well worth the return. This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.

The summer driving season is nearly over and stores are full of back to school merchandise. Now that you're starting to stock up on new pencils and notebooks, make sure you don't miss forget about prepping your car. Your car has worked hard in the summer heat, so give it a head start on the new school year with some service. Review the basics Start with an oil and filter change. This summer has been hot. Through it all, your vehicle's engine has been working in an enclosed space that is hotter still. Even at a comfortable 80 degrees outside temperature, it could be more than 200 degrees in your vehicle's engine compartment. That heat puts a lot of stress on the engine's oil, causing breakdown that can lead to reduced protection and possibly even the formation of sludge. Fresh lubrication will ensure smooth sailing on your travels. Changing the rest of your vehicle's filters when have the oil changed, if necessary, is a good practice. Remember the engine's air filter, fuel filter, and the commonly-overlooked cabin air filter, if your car or truck has one. A new cabin filter will more effectively keep particulates and irritants such as pollen out of your cabin's airflow. Change it up and breathe easy. Small but crucial, the often-overlooked crankcase ventilation system filters should be checked and replaced at regular intervals, as well. If you don't, you could be headed for a more expensive problem down the road. Your engine's ventilation system traps vapor and directs it through the engine's intake system instead of letting it seep out into the atmosphere. A failed or plugged system will allow the buildup of excess pressure inside your engine. When that happens, the pressure can squeeze out an oil seal, leading to a serious leak. No doubt your engine will breathe easier. Don't forget the details While you're under the hood, make sure everything else checks out, too. What kind of shape is the serpentine belt in? How about the coolant that's in the reservoir? Not only should it be brought to the proper level, but the coolant should be just a few years old. Let it circulate too long and it loses the additives that help protect your engine from corrosion; not only that, it will no longer offer the same level of freeze and boil-over protection. Batteries also hate the heat, so make sure you're not making its job harder with corroded or excessively dirty electrical connections. If there is obvious green corrosion at the battery terminal connects, first neutralize the acid, then clean and re-seat all the connections. If your battery is not of the maintenance free variety, it should also be checked for the proper fluid levels. If you're not comfortable doing these jobs, your dealer's service department will know how. Last, because the days are getting shorter fast, do a walk-around to make sure all the lights are working. From running lamps to blinkers and even license plate lamps, check them all. It's obvious when a headlamp is out, but not everybody takes notice of just how many bulbs there can be on an automobile. Take a look, and if you're unsure of which replacement bulbs to get, consult your owner's manual. Or simply stop by and let the expert technicians do it for you. A quick check of these items will help you stay on course. Check your owner's manual for recommended maintenance items and make an appointment with your service department. This article is presented by INFINITI of South Atlanta in Union City, GA.