Here are 5 ways you can get better fuel efficiency with your funeral car just by changing your driving habits:

1. Do you idle your engine a lot? If so, turn it off. Just 15 minutes of idling can burn up a quarter gallon of fuel.
2. Use the cruise control on your funeral coach. Most modern vehicles have them and by using cruise control you will not have rapid swings in speed on the highway. Those speed swings cause greater fuel inefficiency.
3. Reduce your speed. Driving your funeral coach 10 miles slower can save up to 4 mpg on the highway.
4. Lower your cargo weight. A mere 100 pounds of extra weight can add 2% to the fuel mileage of your funeral vehicle. If possible, take out extra weight when driving your funeral car.
5. Check your tire pressure regularly. Ten pounds of tire pressure can make your vehicle work harder and decrease your fuel efficiency by 3%.

If you want better performance from your funeral coach, try increasing your fuel efficiency with these driving tips.

Why? Because the 2013 auto window stickers being published and promoted by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency will be featuring a QR code in the bottom right corner of the sticker.

What is a QR code?

For the most part, a QR code is a bar code, much like the UPC codes you are already familiar with on grocery items. The QR code offers a way for mobile phone users to scan the code to perform some sort of action ranging from auto loading a text message to auto loading a web page on the mobile web browser of your smartphone.

Beginning with the vehicle year 2013, all vehicles manufactured will have these new vehicle window stickers with QR codes. This will allow funeral home owners buying a new funeral car the ability to scan the QR code and be taken to a government website, which will give them information about the best kind of car to drive for their driving habits. Below is an example of the new auto window sticker with a QR code.

The new automobile window stickers will feature other type of information as well. For instance, they will include important information about funeral cars such as environmental impact, fuel cost information, fuel economy stats, air quality information, and other similar information. Funeral service customers will soon be able to see if your funeral home is being wise in your selection of vehicles, and if you charge customers mileage, then the window stickers (along with the QR codes) could become critical selling points for your service.

For more information about the new vehicle window stickers with QR codes, visit the article 2013 Vehicle Window Stickers to Feature QR Code and New Energy Metrics.

eBay Motors and InspectMyRide.com have recently teamed up to provide a service that allows potential funeral car buyers on ebaymotors.com to order a pre-purchase vehicle inspection and have the car inspected before they purchase it, but you don’t have to be shopping for used funeral cars on eBay to benefit from this independent inspection service. You can go directly to the inspectmyride.com and place an order directly.

Here’s what InspectMyRide.com will look for:

• Mechanical dysfunctions such as brakes, weak battery, shoddy belts and hoses, and fluid leaks
• Condition of instrument panel
• Rips and tears in upholstery or carpeting
• Functionality of electronic components
• Tire tread
• Body damage or paint chipping
• And that’s just the tip of the iceberg

Your vehicle inspector will also take your prospective funeral hearse or limousine for a test drive and provide you with digital photos to show you the condition of the vehicle you are planning to purchase.

Whether or not you are shopping online or from a trusted source for your next used funeral hearse or limousine, a pre-purchase vehicle inspection from an independent third-party is a sure way to reduce the chances of buying something you regret.

Years ago, any car enthusiast with mechanical know-how and a few tools could open an independent corner repair shop and was not held to any quality of service standards. Times have changed though as independent mechanics now must purchase specialized equipment, upgrade computer software, and participate in training programs on an ongoing basis if they intend to keep up with the advancing auto technology on newer car models.

“Customers should check if the repair shop has a blue seal of excellence (offered by Automotive Service Excellence Organization).”

There are a number of industry certifications that independent repair shops can obtain to show they are up to date with training and certain other requirements. As recommended by an article written by Alina Tugend of The New York Times, “Customers should check if the repair shop has a blue seal of excellence (offered by Automotive Service Excellence Organization) — about 400,000 mechanics nationwide do.” Other notable certifying bodies include NAPA Autocare, Triple-A and PPG Certification.

Choosing Between a Cadillac Mechanic and Independent

There is no doubt that your hearses will need repair and maintenance, and chances are you already have a reliable mechanic or repair shop you rely on. But if this is not the case, then you could spend hours or days researching dealerships and garages online and obtaining quotes and estimates before you make an appointment. One hassle you will find is that you must repeat yourself by giving each service provider the same information about your budget and repair needs.

To help address this, Heritage Coach has teamed up with the site AutoConverse.com to give you a free and easy way to help you make the best choice for your next hearse repair, while also giving us a chance to earn your business.

By visiting the Philadelphia market on the site you can register to make a repair request. By making a repair request, an email alert will go out to participating dealers and repair shops in the area, giving each of us a chance to consider your request and earn your business. The best part is, by using the site, you do not have to provide your personal contact information such as name, phone, and email, because all correspondence is handled on the site. Only once you choose which dealership or repair shop to take your business will you need to provide this information.

So if you want to shop around while giving us a chance, then make your repair request today. Of course, if we have already earned your business then take a moment to schedule a service appointment today from our website. And thanks for giving us a chance.

It’s important to understand what coolant does. It lowers the boiling point of water, which allows it to carry heat away from your car’s engine. When you’re low on coolant, your engine can overheat very quickly.

Checking your coolant level can be easy on most funeral limousines. Usually, you’ll find an overflow coolant tank next to your vehicle’s radiator, right up toward the front of the engine. Usually, it’s made of white plastic that lets you see how much coolant is inside. There should be markings on the side that will tell you if there’s enough coolant inside. Make sure to check your coolant level when your engine is cold.

If your coolant level is low, you can simply add coolant to the overflow tank. Make sure that you check it again in a day or two, because you want to be able to tell if you’ve got a coolant leak.

Of course, funeral cars and hearses are very specialized vehicles, and if you are uncomfortable with doing maintenance yourself please visit our funeral limousine service center.

If you’ve just bought yourself a shiny new funeral limousine, it’s time to take Dad’s advice.

Oil is one of the most important parts of your hearse’s engine. As you’re using your hearse, the process of combustion creates acids and other chemicals that your engine wants nothing to do with. Your oil prevents engine rust and corrosion by neutralizing these chemicals.

The oil in your new hearse does not, unfortunately, last forever. Normal lubrication causes you to use up your oil, and over time, small pieces of metal naturally wear off and particles end up in your oil. That makes your oil sludgy and no longer useful.

How to Check Your Oil

You should be checking your oil level every week to make sure there’s enough in the engine to protect it adequately. (If your car is older and you’ve noticed a leak you should check it even more frequently than that.)  Check your oil when your engine is warm because cold temperatures change the viscosity of your oil and your reading will be off.

Park your funeral limousine on a level surface, and make sure your engine is off. Your oil dipstick is usually located near your spark plugs. Clean off the dipstick with a rag or paper towel and put it back into your oil reservoir. Ensure the dipstick has gone down as far as it can go in the oil reservoir, and pull it back out again.

Hold the dipstick horizontally and check to make sure your oil reaches the marker that reads “full”. (You’ll either have a horizontal line labeled as such, or there will be two lines with a pattern joining them. If you have a patterned dipstick, your oil should be right in the middle of the patterned portion.)

If you’ve established that you don’t have enough oil, you can top it up yourself easily or take it to your hearse service mechanic. You’ll need to change your oil every three months or 3000 miles, whichever comes sooner.