Mercedes-Benz of Santa Fe Blog

Santa Fe drivers can get excellent value by shopping our inventory of used vehicles. While you might have your heart set on a brand new automobile, there are a number of impressive benefits that can be gained by purchasing one that's been owned before. At Mercedes-Benz of Santa Fe, we're excited to share three reasons why used cars and trucks can be incredibly worthwhile options.

You Can Make A Truly Informed Purchasing Decision

With a used car, there can be a surprisingly small amount of risk that drivers take on.

Installing a child’s safety seat in a vehicle means that one is taking the time to make sure their child is in the safest possible position while riding around in the vehicle. It is important to get it right.

Placing a child’s safety seat in the car means making sure that the seat is facing forward, in the back seat, and angled just right to keep the child comfortable and safe.

What you need to do is have the seat in a place where the seat belt can go across it without obstructing any part of the child…

Cabin and engine air filters serve similar purposes in different parts of a vehicle. Cabin air filters remove airborne materials from the climate control system and purify the air that circulates inside the vehicle’s passenger cabin. Your owner’s manual should provide you with details on replacing the cabin filter in your car, truck or van.

Maintaining engine air filters is a little more complicated. Engine air filters are located under the hood where they remove dirt and other contaminants that could damage critical moving parts inside the motor. 

When it comes to routine auto care, we tend to focus on the engine. While important, there's more to the car than the engines. All parts play a vital role in performance, which is why drivers shouldn't overlook anything. Car owners definitely shouldn't take their eyes and ears off a vehicle's braking system.

Brakes suffer from wear and tear due to constant use. In "stop and go traffic," the brakes experience a lot of use, which could wear them down quicker. Besides the part parts, be mindful of brake lines. They can rust or suffer other…

Your car battery can often give you signs that there is something wrong before it dies. If you notice lights that dim when your car is running or if it seems to take longer to start your car, then you might want to consider testing your battery or taking it to Mercedes-Benz of Santa Fe to have someone test it with electrical equipment.

Check the terminals on your battery to see if they are rusted or corroded. If there is a poor connection between the terminals and the cables, then it could result in battery issues that appear as though…

One of the most essential features to check when buying a car is the drivetrain. There are three types of configurations including front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), and all-wheel drive (AWD). Most compact vehicles and sedans come with FWD because it’s cheaper to create and better on gas mileage. However, it’s not the most powerful option.

Rear-wheel drive delivers power by pushing the car forward. Power shifts from the engine to the transmission and down the driveshaft to the rear differential. This is why sports cars typically have a rear-wheel drive configuration.

If your car engine is overheating, you need to take immediate action to identify and resolve the issue. There are some more commonplace causes for engine overheating. In addition, there are steps you should take to lessen the odds of overheating in the future.

The most frequent cause of engine overheating is an issue with coolant. Your engine may lack an appropriate amount of coolant or have a coolant solution that isn't properly proportioned between the coolant product itself and water. Other causes of engine overheating 

If you have a car or truck that won't start in Santa Fe, you could be dealing with a dead battery. Though the battery will likely need to be replaced, you may be able to get it operating again by doing a jump start.

Jump starting can be dangerous if not done right, so it's important to understand how the process works. First, you need to get the working vehicle positioned properly so that you can reach jumper cables between batteries. Make sure the working vehicle is shut off and connect the positive cables to the working battery…

Your muffler does a lot for your vehicle, so make sure that you're also taking care of it. The muffler makes sure your car doesn't make too much noise. Too much sound can anger other drivers, wake sleeping residents, scare animals and children, and cause you to get an expensive ticket.

Purchasing a new vehicle is a big investment. Aside from investing in a home, a car is one of the biggest investments that you will ever make. Even though the sticker prices on these vehicles can be relatively high, you can sometimes strike a deal with a dealership that will save you money. If you're looking to haggle the best price on a vehicle, follow our tips.

Ask about rebates that are currently being offered by the manufacturer of a specific vehicle. You can find out if there are current discounts being offered by the dealership you're shopping…