Here's a Tuesday Tip from us to you!

The serpentine belts on your engine keep many of the mechanical systems of your vehicle operating, including the cooling system, the power steering, the air conditioning, the electrical charging system and other major components. Many modern engines use a single belt to keep all those drive pulleys spinning, so if that belt kicks the bucket, all of those systems will stop working at the same time. When it’s 100+ degrees outside, that’s a big problem. Fortunately, changing your serpentine belt is one of the cheapest and easiest parts of your vehicle’s maintenance routine.

Major fluctuations in temperature have a tendency take their toll on rubber components–such as the changing of seasons–so check your belts for signs of brittleness and cracking. If you find any, now is the time to ditch the old belt and replace it with a new one. Most experts agree that replacing the belts every 36,000 – 48,000 miles is an optimal interval to avoid problems down the road.

Cadillac's 2014 CTS Looks to Impress the World

General Motors is about to close the ugliest and darkest chapter of its history book, just as soon as the U.S. Treasury dumps its remaining shares in the company. By year's end, GM plans to once again return to investment grade, and in its best financial shape in more than a decade.

GM also has another bright spot this year: Its Cadillac lineup has surged 38% year to date -- its best YTD increase in nearly four decades. Its success is driven by new Cadillac models ATS, CTS, and XTS. Let's look at the 2014 CTS and see what it brings to the table for consumers and investors alike.

Overview and exterior
Typically the CTS has been Cadillac's hero, but last year's introduction of the ATS gives Cadillac a sidekick to its all-new 2014 CTS due out this October.

"CTS has always been Cadillac's centerpiece, and as our brand expands and elevates, the car properly grows to its true place," said David Leone, CTS executive chief engineer, in a press release. "With last year's addition of the award-winning ATS compact luxury sedan, CTS will directly challenge the luxury midsize competition with uncompromised performance, luxury, and technology."

Looking at some of the new tweaks and upgrades in the next-generation CTS, it's clear Cadillac is putting its money where its mouth is -- but it will ask you to pay up roughly $6,000 more for the new model, according toAutomotive News.

It's going to offer more interior space, power, and technology, while the new exterior design becomes longer, lower, and leaner. While the vehicle itself gets larger and roomier, it'll be on a strict diet and will shed about 244 pounds from its previous model -- expecting to be the lightest midsize luxury vehicle.

In addition to the weight loss, the 2014 CTS will be offered with a choice of three powertrains and two engines. One of the engines, a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder, will put out an impressive 272 horsepower and will go from 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds -- 1.5 seconds quicker than its predecessor.

Cadillac's CTS also has a 3.6L V6 engine, and in its premium Vsport model package -- which contains the highest-performing components -- it puts out 420 HP. However, all that power and premium options bring a hefty price tag of nearly $60,000 -- roughly $13,000 more than the standard-version CTS.

Interior
All the CTS models will be equipped with Cadillac's prized "CUE" system for connectivity, featuring a large 8-inch touchscreen. Here's a tidbit that was music to my ears: The CTS will also come with a 13-speaker Bose premium audio system with HD radio capability.

Cadillac's 2014 CTS. Photo: General Motors.

Cadillac had me at "Bose system," but here's a list of other CTS interior features, according to a GM press release:

• Cadillac's first 20-way adjustable front seats.
• A motorized cup-holder lid in the center console.
• Heated and cooled (ventilated) front seats and heated steering wheel.
• Electronically locking glove box.
• Electronic park brake.
• Adaptive remote start feature that also activates the climate control system.

In addition to those minor features, it has a plethora of safety features and options. For example, the 2014 will be the first Cadillac to offer "Automatic Parking Assist," similar to Ford's feature that parks itself in parallel spaces. It also offers a "Driver Awareness Package" that has vibrating pulses in the driver's seat to bring attention to an imminent collision -- a patented feature. 

Investing takeaway
Luxury lines bring in a high transaction price and fatter margins than standard vehicles, and it's important to be able to step your loyal consumers up as their purchasing power grows over time. One complaint from GM investors is that the company isn't nearly as profitable as it should be for the globe's second leading automaker in sales -- and that looks to change. For investors, GM is an intriguing opportunity because it's years behind Ford in operating efficiencies and has a lot of room to run over the next few years in terms of profitability.

These two crosstown rivals have much to learn from each other. If Ford can take notes from Cadillac's success and apply it to its Lincoln brand, it will be a huge step for growing top-line revenues. If GM can apply Ford's efficient global platform and run its plants and operations at a high percentage of capacity, as Ford does, it will become immensely more profitable. If a hypothetical automaker had GM's top-line success, in combination with Ford's bottom-line success, the result would easily be the best automaker on the globe. Time will tell which company learns its lesson first, but both automakers present us with an incredible investment opportunity as automotive sales rebound in the U.S. and around the world.

2014 GMC Sierra 1500 -- The Gentleman's Pickup

Courtesy of Car and Driver

Identical twins can be hard to tell apart, but it gets easier when they’re wearing name tags. Maybe that’s why GM attaches big Chevrolet and GMC badges on its pickup-truck twins, the Silverado and the Sierra.

The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra aren’t quite identical, but engines, transmissions, chassis, and most of the sheetmetal are shared. What’s obviously different is the front-end styling. The Sierra replaces the Silverado’s stacked headlights with simpler, classier-looking small projector-beam units that are accented with LEDs on the top-dog SLT trim level. The grille, the front bumpers, the fenders, and the aluminum hood are unique to the Sierra. Black plastic trim around the fender wells and a chrome accent along the base of the side windows are more Sierra tells.

Aside from the GMC badging, the interior décor of the Sierra is, again, nearly identical to that of the bow-tie truck. Aluminum trim on all versions of the Sierra replaces what’s silver-colored in the Silverado, and wood accents are peppered throughout the top-spec SLT interiors.

Direct-Injected V-8

With those few differences, it’s not surprising that the Sierra acts just like the Silverado. The 355-hp, 5.3-liter V-8 broadcasts the same mellow V-8 soundtrack here as it does in the Chevy. Even without provoking the throttle, the 383 lb-ft of torque give an apology-worthy shove. We recently tested a Silverado LTZ crew cab equipped with the 5.3-liter, and it returned a 0-to-60 time of 6.7 seconds. We have no reason to doubt that a comparably equipped Sierra would accomplish the task in the same time.

Cruising on the highway, the 5.3 switches to V-4 mode to help save fuel. In two-wheel-drive guise, the Sierra V-8 returns an EPA-estimated 16 city mpg and 23 highway. Four-wheel-drive versions with the V-8 manage 16/22 mpg. For those interested in a little more economy at the expense of some power, there’s finally a credible V-6 option from GM. GMC hasn’t released any EPA fuel-economy estimates yet for the six; we’ll let you know as soon as it does.

Six Serious Cylinders

The standard 4.3-liter V-6 has been thoroughly redone. Not just a light nip and tuck, the engine has undergone a Michael Jackson–grade transformation. It might be distantly related to the Vortec 4300 that powered Chevy Astros and GMC Safaris when “Thriller” was still a hit, but the performance and the refinement are in line with that of 21st century V-6s. The 90-degree bank angle remains—a reminder of the engine’s V-8 roots—but it has been enhanced from top to bottom with variable-valve timing, direct fuel injection, and cylinder deactivation. Power is up by 90 horsepower, and torque rises to 305 lb-ft, an improvement of 45 lb-ft over last year’s 4.3-liter V-6. Remember theSyclone and Typhoon supertrucks? The new naturally aspirated 285-hp 4.3-liter makes five more horsepower than the turbocharged 4.3-liter V-6s could muster.

Even lugging the heavy crew-cab version, the V-6 provides what feels like sub-eight-second runs to 60 mph. Unlike the smaller-displacement V-6s from Ford and Ram, the 4.3-liter has good low-end grunt and consequently feels less strained than the competition. The car-derivedFord 3.7-liter V-6 and Ram 3.6-liter V-6 both make nearly 305 horsepower, but they fall short of the Sierra’s figure. The V-6 Sierra can tow 7200 pounds, which is 500 more than the V-6 Ford and 700 more than the V-6 Ram. This GM V-6 was designed from the git-go for truck use and is essentially a small-block Chevy V-8 with two fewer cylinders.

The rest of the Sierra experience is, not surprisingly, pure Silverado. No matter what engine is under the aluminum hood, both pickups have a quiet demeanor, an occasionally choppy but otherwise soft ride, and a smaller feel from behind the wheel than that of those big-rig-emulating competitors. The Sierra’s steering is accurate and doesn’t require constant corrections. A firm and confidence-inspiring brake pedal is almost sports-car-like, and the braking distances recorded by the Sierra’s Chevrolet analog were class-leading.

Crew cabs are arriving at dealerships now, extended-cab models soon will follow, and the regular-cab version will debut by the end of the summer. Two-wheel-drive Sierra crew cabs start at $33,210; an equivalent Silverado opens at $32,710, but the Chevy lacks a few features, such as steering-wheel audio controls and an eight-inch touch screen, that justify the cost differential. Even discounting the small bump in standard equipment, the Sierra strikes us as the more attractive of the two GM full-size pickups. If you look hard enough, one twin will always be the better-looking one.

National Tire Safety Week Tips!

The Rubber Manufacturers Association uses National Tire Safety Week to promote the importance of keeping your tires properly maintained.

The nationwide effort is designed to educate motorists about the four
essential areas of tire maintenance: Pressure, Alignment, Rotation
and Tread.

Pressure - Low tire pressure decreases fuel economy. The specific inflation pressure number can be found on the vehicle placard located on the driver's side doorpost, glove box door, or in the owner's manual. For accurate pressure, check tires when cool.

Alignment - Proper tire alignment provides control as well as a ride that is smooth, comfortable and free of pulling or vibration. 
Proper alignment also helps tires wear evenly and last longer. Tire specialists recommend getting an alignment every 25,000 miles.

Rotation - Regular rotation helps achieve uniform tire wear and improve road performance. Tires rotated every 6,000 - 8,000 miles have longer life and help maximize your tire investment.

Tread - Lack of tread affects the tire's ability to grip the road. Make sure tires don't have uneven wear, high or low areas or unusually smooth areas that can increase the risk of road accidents.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says improper tire care contributes to 11,000 injuries and about 200 fatalities each year.
Vehicles with under-inflated tires waste more than 1 billion gallons of fuel in the U.S. each year.