Friday, May 28, 2021

Using Your Backup Camera With Your Mirrors


One of the modern-day new challenges has been to use your backup camera in conjunction with your mirrors. If you don’t have a backup camera on your car, the chances that your next new vehicle will are high! In 2018, federal law requires that all new vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 lbs be equipped with rearview monitoring technology, a backup camera. 

Unfortunately, there can be some drawbacks to these cameras. For example, some cameras do not display a wide-angle view, which would allow you to see things on the sides of your car, like incoming pedestrians or young children not paying attention to their surroundings.

Sometimes, too, you could miss posts, fire hydrants, low walls, and more. At  Melloy Dodge, we always advise that you always check your surroundings before moving your vehicle.

Besides the obvious advantages of backup cameras, one of the perks of having your backup camera is that it has become a tool in backing up into tight spaces, that you otherwise would avoid. Almost all rearview displays feature parallel lines that the driver then uses to safely and efficiently navigate backward.  It is always recommended that you still utilize all the mirrors on your vehicle when backing up or attempting to park. 

All new models that Melloy Dodge has in inventory feature a backup camera, some even help with parking sensors so you know when you are too close to something or will alert you to an incoming vehicle or person.

If you’re looking for a new vehicle, stop in and test drive your next car today! 

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Day Trips from Albuquerque


If you are new to New Mexico, let Melloy Dodge be the first to welcome you to our beautiful and landscape-diverse state. Officially a state in 1912, after the U.S. won the Mexican-American war, New Mexico became part of the U.S. Territories and declared the 47th state. New Mexico is “The Land of Enchantment,” and there is plenty of reason for that: our state features mountains, forests, desert, and an enormous amount of history. Our beautiful state also has a lot of beautifully unique places to visit, so get ready to fill your gas tank and head out for a long-overdue weekend away!


If you live in the Albuquerque Metro, one of your first stops to better introduce you to our history is visiting Old Town, right in the middle of downtown Albuquerque. Old Town features ten blocks of adobe shops, with more than 100 businesses, restaurants, and art galleries, most displaying many New Mexico cultures in ranges from paintings, jewelry, and handmade pottery. Old Town features Albuquerque’s oldest building in the city, the San Felipe De Neri Church, constructed in 1793. Many events are held year-round in the plaza park in the middle of Old Town; the most popular is the luminaries around Christmas time! For more information about Old Town, you can visit the cities official page here.


If you’re looking to head out of the metro area, your next stop could be Santa Fe, our state’s capital and the nation’s oldest capital city! Santa Fe is known for its eccentric scene and diverse community. Santa Fe is home to chefs, artists, wellness experts, and so much more, and they each bring their creative dreams to Santa Fe’s culture. Santa Fe is as diverse as its people; you can shop, hike, visit native tribes and learn about their unique history, go to museums, and visit historic sites, and ride the Rail Runner from Santa Fe back to Albuquerque! 


Are you looking for something you’ve never seen or have only seen in photos? Then White Sands National Park may be your next weekend trip away. Located just southwest of Alamogordo, a short three and half hours out lies this history-dense and spectacle of beauty. The area is covered in, well, white sand, a phenomenon you have to see for yourself! Don’t forget to pack your plastic sleds and wax because those dunes are the perfect place to sled in the summer heat! White Sands is a beautiful location for photos and creating memories with your loved ones. You can find more things to do here


Maybe you’re looking for something that takes you back in history? The Acoma Pueblo is like nothing you’ve experienced. No unauthorized visitors are allowed, and the only way you can see Sky City, which is located 400 feet up on the top of a mesa ridge, has 90 minute guided tours. The Acoma people have lived here for nearly 800 years, and if you are still interested in learning more about them and their ways, you can visit the Haak’u Museum. 


Mountain air calling your name? The Jemez Mountains are your ticket out of town! The Jemez Mountains are home to the Jemez Pueblo, hot springs, waterfalls, The Valles Caldera, Fenton Lake and Campground, and numerous hiking trails.  If you arrive hungrily, located on the way to town along Highway 4, feature huts where the community serves out fresh, made-to-order, fry bread! The beautiful and quickly changing scenery will have you falling in love at first sight. 


These are just a few of the places within hours of town that you could do, most on a tankful. Melloy Dodge is proud to be New Mexico’s #1 Dodge Dealer. If you’re looking to explore our state, we can help you do it in style, comfort, and in a reliable vehicle of choice. Our new and used inventory is yours for the picking!


Tuesday, May 11, 2021

The Microchip Shortage




If you have come to our dealership in recent weeks, you may have noticed that we are in short supply of excess inventory-- something we have never had to deal with! Toward the end of March, a fire broke out at a northeast Japan microchip plant. This plant alone manufactures 30% of the automotive microprocessors worldwide.  

The auto industry has estimated to lose more than 60 billion in sales this first half of this year due to this shortage, and consumers and dealerships are feeling the heat of this crisis. Consumers come to Melloy Dodge searching for a specific vehicle, and they know from previous experience that we have it stocked. Still, because of these microchip manufacturing delays and shortages, consumers have to settle for a vehicle that is a lower-end model than what they were shopping for.

Although most makes and models of a wide range of vehicle manufacturers depend on this chip, RAM will continue to build their RAM 1500’s and stocking them to put the chip in as soon as the microchips supply become available again! Other companies are getting creative and still delivering vehicles, and dealerships are selling them without certain features.

Melloy Dodge is working hard to make sure we stock and have available the vehicles you are wanting. Suppose you are hoping for a specific model that is currently being affected due to the microchip shortage. In that case, we hope that you will come in and talk to our sales associates that will give you a call when your vehicle model is in stock and available for purchase. We appreciate your patience and look forward to serving you and our community as soon as this delay is resolved.