Katerina Mitrou asked:


Maintaining your vehicle is essential if you want to keep it running well and operating at peak performance. The usual maintenance procedures, such as oil changes, are usually not issues for most people - but performing basic maintenance operations to keep your radiator and engine running well are just as important yet more often overlooked. Radiator maintenance is an integral part of the overall “health” of your vehicle because the engine has to remain at a prime operating temperature in order to work properly. If your engine overheats, for example, you’ll have a lot more headaches than if you keep up with important maintenance tasks on a regular basis.

Radiator maintenance is mostly about the fluids. Other problems with the cooling system can arise, for various different reasons, but for basic maintenance and upkeep properly maintaining the vital fluids in the radiator is what will keep your vehicle humming with life for years to come. Whether you utilize the services of your local shop to perform key maintenance and repair processes or do everything yourself, it is recommended that coolant is replaced every year or so. In addition to coolant replacement, it is also a good idea to flush and refill the radiator every 1 to 2 years to ensure the cooling system will run well, even if your mileage is low after this period of time. Following such a maintenance schedule is vital if you want your vehicle to be properly and consistently maintained.

Why Antifreeze is Key

Antifreeze/coolant is a big part of what keeps your engine in top working order. In addition to its cooling properties and ability to keep your engine running under extreme temperature variations, many companies also include other ingredients that help keep your engine working well. For instance, antifreeze can contain additives that prevent rust and corrosion of the radiator, engine and vehicle heater. If you neglect radiator maintenance the advantages of a good cooling system will not be fully utilized.

Basically, coolant is a 50/50 mix of glycol and water, depending on your vehicle. The glycol portion of the mixture is the antifreeze - it works to keep the water from turning to ice in cold temperatures and reaching the boiling point in extreme heat. With the coolant operating at the proper degree, the engine will continue running at a stable temperature in all climates and driving situations.

Ethylene glycol is used in antifreeze but it requires proper handling if you are planning on performing cooling system maintenance on your own - it is a toxic substance that can cause health problems or even death, and can be damaging to the environment. Following suggested protocol when handling antifreeze is a necessity. Keep it away from children and animals, and ensure proper disposal according to local hazardous waste regulations. A recent alternative to ethylene glycol is propylene glycol. Antifreeze that contains propylene glycol is less toxic than its predecessor, especially at low levels, but it still must be handled with caution. No matter what antifreeze you use, the fluid picks up heavy metals during usage, so disposal is something to be taken seriously. Follow the same procedure you would with any antifreeze product and you will avoid problems when performing maintenance on your vehicle at home. It is very important that you do not pour coolant down your sink or into storm drains due to its toxic properties.

Draining and Flushing

Over time, rust and sediment can build up in your vehicle’s cooling system making it necessary to drain out the coolant from time to time to clean out anything that may be clogging up the system. Many experts recommend this be done every few years, preferably every year. You can tell if the coolant in your radiator requires removal if it appears dirty or brown in color, and if you see little rust specks floating around. Coolant should appear a slightly thick, light yellowy-green color, almost like lemonade, or orange if your car uses long-lasting coolant.

If you are going to take on the job yourself, begin by parking the vehicle in a safe work area - away from kids, pets and storm drains. Raising the car on ramps is also a good idea if you are able to do so. Follow this checklist before getting started: turn the ignition off and wait until the engine is cool. This is very important - it’s dangerous to work with a hot engine. Set the car in Park and engage the emergency brakes.

Now you can get started. First step - remove the radiator cap. Place a 2-gallon or larger bucket underneath the radiator drain plug and remove the plug. This will catch the fluid. Once the fluid has finished draining, put the plug back in place. If you want to drain as much coolant out as possible, you can add another step to the procedure and drain any excess coolant in the engine. Simply take out the plug in the engine block if you can, to drain the coolant.

If you think your cooling system needs a more thorough cleaning to remove excess sediment and rust, flushing may be a good idea. You can achieve this by using a radiator-cleaning product fit for this type of job. This is a simple task. All you have to do is close up all the drain plugs and pour the product into the radiator along with some water. The instructions on the package should tell you exactly what to do - this usually entails running the heater on high for a specified amount of time. When the engine cools you can drain the radiator fluid out and refill with water, following the same steps as above. This will have fully flushed out the cooling system.

Refilling

Refilling the radiator is easy, especially if you consult your car’s user manual and the instructions on the antifreeze bottle. You will need to know the ratio of coolant to water before refilling, which can vary depending on the vehicle and weather conditions in your area. Fill the radiator according to the instructions and also fill the overflow reservoir with a 50/50 mix. Clean up any spills that may occur and then close the cap. Now you can run the engine to the normal running temperature - and make sure you set the heater on high to effectively circulate the coolant throughout the system. When the engine cools down again, double check for leaks.

If everything checks out ok, you’re done and can drive off knowing you have kept up with one of the most important aspects of your car’s maintenance.



MAURO

Jeremy MacDonald asked:


What do we all want while driving? To provide for our families, loved ones, and what have you. How do you accomplish this? There are a whole slew of roads to travel, but one main ingredient is a family car that is always 100% reliable. And if driving creates you running errands faster, to save money on gas, and decreasing air pollution, you win twice. Your 1993 Ford Tempo or whichever car, truck, van, or boat you drive needs to be performing at top capacity.

The most important thing you can do for your car is make regular auto maintenance check-ups, service all the automotive liquids. Oh, by the way, be sure to check your car’s liquids every 2 weeks. That means your oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and transmission liquids. Make checking your tires a constant too. My ex-girlfriend recently called me up and cried that one of her tires exploded driving under a freeway. Yikes. Also, don’t forget to maintain a proper fuel tank level according to your particular car’s engine (see car owner manual). A car owner manual is like the bible of your vehicle. If you don’t already have one, get one. You’ll wish you had one if your car breaks down in the desert.

Your car engine will thank you with better performance and quicker reaction times, which is an essential part of keeping you and your family and friends safe on the road. Make yourself aware of this info. It may save the life of your engine one day. It will save you money on gas and auto maintenance.

Choose the right fuel. Your vehicle is designed to take regular unleaded fuel, which will have this symbol (87) on the pump at the gas station. The 87 symbol refers to the level of octane in the fuel. Using lower grade of fuel will jack up your car engine and will cause heavy knocking, which could easily damage your engine. I drive a Ford Tempo, and my car owner manual says to use the 87 grade of gas.

Higher grade fuels will protect your fuel system from rusting and protect against fuel lock in the fuel system (causes engine to hesitate/stall and hard to restart). In addition, it will minimize fuel deposits in fuel injection system, and prevent your engine from knocking/pinging.

Higher grade fuels will also prevent the fuel system from “gumming up” when not run for long periods of time, not to mention help your, Ford Tempo perhaps, start more easily in winter while assisting in help the prevention of freezing fuel lines.

Tips to increase gas mileage include not driving at life-threatening highway speeds can dramatically lower your fuel economy. It maybe fun, but it’s the car that you don’t see that will do the most damage. Gradually increasing your speed will save you precious fuel. And the way gas prices have been, it is nice not having to cram all your money into your gas tank. Extended idling of your engine will lower your miles per gallon.

I hope theses tips allow you to spend more time with your family and friends. As well as save money on gas, and auto maintenance. Enjoy!



RUDOLPH

Gregg Hall asked:


You never save anything by not servicing your car regularly. Like your body, your machine needs regular check up and that’s the truth. You may try to avoid getting your oil changed or tire pressure checked regularly and you may think that you are being wise at saving your dollars, but the fact is old oil and wrong tire pressure can cost your car’s performance badly. It will make your engine work more, generate heat and eventually take a dig on your gas.

What are the facts in this game? Let’s look at a few.

A faulty spark plug affects your car’s mileage adversely. It can save your up to 20% in mileage if you get rid of that faulty spark plug and get it replaced. Guess what it will actually cost you less in changing the spark plug than dragging a faulty one in a car that is not tuned.

The tires of your car should always be in the right pressure. If your tires are flat, it will drag the car on the road creating more friction and thereby increasing the amount of heat generated in your engine. You need to have the right tires for your car. These days the low rolling radial tires are said to be great for fuel economy. You must also keep you tires correctly aligned. This is guaranteed to improve your mileage by 3-4%. All car manufacturers provide the tire pressure necessary for your car in a sticker on your car door.

Don’t take oil changing lightly! It can be very sticky if you do not maintain the oil in your car regularly. EC grade oil or energy conserving oil can help increase the performance of your car and so can 5W-30 oil type. This will increase the mileage in return. Research studies suggest that EC-rated oil increases the performance of your car and the mileage up to 1.5%. You will find the EC rating on the body of your oil can. The EC rating generally appears as EC-I, EC-II, etc.

Keep the octane right. Choose the right gas with right octane proportion. Your car may not require high octane as only few cars require premium grade oil. Octane does not improve your car’s performance, it improves your performance only for premium grade motors. If yours is not one, then refrain from using premium grade oil.

Changing oxygen sensors at the right time is crucial to your car’s performance. As per the Department of Energy, USA, “Replace clogged air filters” this can improve your car’s gas mileage by as much as 10%, and it will also protect your engine”. Today one-third of the vehicles on the road requires filter change, but most drivers choose to ignore that resulting in clogged air filters which overworks the engine.

So as you can see timely servicing will help your car clock those extra miles and at the same time give you good mileage. Fine tune your car’s needs and rest assured that it will save your gas. Do not shy away from the service centers. Make special trips before change of seasons and whenever you predict long hours on road.



PIERRE

Gregg Hall asked:


Hybrid cars are getting a lot of attention from consumers looking to purchase a new car. One reason is that they use less gas and therefore save you a lot of money at the pumps. However, their popularity is not just based on their fuel saving design, they also require less maintenance than that of their conventional cousins.

It can be frustrating to have to take time off from work to go to the mechanic for maintenance checks and repairs. It is equally frustrating to use up part of your weekends for this as well. Owning a Hybrid helps you to avoid this frustration, thanks to their unique design. There are various features that contribute to these benefits.

One reason is that they have fewer parts than conventional cars. For example, the Hybrid vehicle does not have a starter. A car that has fewer parts requires less maintenance and less maintenance means less expense. Another important factor is that the engine is smaller, between 10 to 20 horsepower and designed to run more efficiently by using only one speed.

The generator runs on a separate, gas powered motor and contributes to the lesser need for maintenance. It also does things that conventional vehicles need additional parts for. The generator handles 80 percent of the braking, which helps to extend the life of the brake system. It does this in several ways, such as preserving brake fluid. Brake fluid can be contaminated by the effects of over heating, so by minimizing the heat exposure, the life of the brake fluid is extended. The lesser heat usage also helps reduce the risk of warped rotors. By the generator taking on more tasks, the battery usage is less and therefore will have to be replaced less often.

Another great feature that the design offers is that the air conditioner runs off of electricity and not gas. The steering system is superior in that it is also electric and does not require a belt the way hydraulic systems do. It also provides a smoother ride on rough road surfaces.

Other maintenance saving features are that the valve system requires no adjustments and the injectors don’t have to be cleaned.

Hybrid vehicles offer longer warranties that also include the battery. This definitely adds to their attraction. The Prius, offered by Toyota, offers an eight year or 100,000 mile warranty that includes the hybrid system. The Honda Insight warranty offers 8 years or 80,000 miles and includes the power train.

When considering purchasing a new vehicle, definitely think about owning a hybrid. They require less maintenance than the conventional cars and therefore save you money and time spent at the auto shop. They are much more fuel efficient, and offer attractive warranties.



JULIO

AutoNetwork asked:

Visit http://www.autonetwork.com for the largest collection of new car introductions.
Money saving car buying tips from AutoNetwork. Auto Leasing.

CASEY

m.e.l. asked:


Their financing guy is only there on certain days to sign the papers so nothing was in writing reagrding the interest rate. We went back to sign the papers for the loan and was told it was significantly higher that what we were told. We had already bought the car. What are my options or am I stuck with a payment I can’t afford. It is $100 higher a month.

KARA

Lee Traupel asked:


New car buying services can help a great deal in the selection of a new car. New car buying service includes providing the best price quotes to the customer. Online car buying services offer new car auto reviews to the buyers.

A new car buying service makes your selection procedure easier by giving you new car prices and reviews. These reviews give all the important information about various cars available in the market. Once you have selected a particular model and make of a car, then you can enter the zip code of your area to get the local price quotes. These price quotes are taken from authorized dealers. With the various price quotes available you can easily compare them and choose the best one.

This new car online service is not restricted to just new cars you can also select used cars. The price quotes are available for used cars also. One online site, which provides these quotes for new as well as used cars, is carwholesaleprices.com. The dealers associated with this web site have all kinds of luxurious and sports cars for sale. You can also compare new car prices online. The choice is vast for the buyer, you can make the choice according to your needs and your budget.

Carwholesaleprices.com has a network of about 7,000 dealers nationwide who can provide free price quotes for the cars without any obligation to buy them. With the model, make, and year filled in the form you can get these price quotes. Besides these quotes all the necessary information is provided regarding the features of the cars. All kinds of cars are covered under this to give a vast choice. Carwholesaleprices.com provides all the necessary information for buying new car. The web site also contains pictures of all the latest models of the cars. Carwholesaleprices.com not only provides new car buying services but also assists the clients in online new car buying process.



NINA

Rob asked:


I tend to find in yahoo auto, autotrader, or automart, cars that are a year to only 3 years old with less then 30,000 miles in them that were in light accidents for less then thirteen thousand dollars or lower. I’ve seen Nissan 350Z’s, Infinity G-35’s, BMW coupes, Benz, any car from 2005 and up that have light bumps in them. Is it worth buying them and fixing them up or is there a catch

TERRY

Victor Martel asked:


A friend of mine was in the market to buy a new car. He wanted to spend about $25,000, and just about the only thing he could get to work at his price, including the features he wanted, was a Honda Accord. He just did not want to pull the trigger. Nothing against the Accord he said it is a great car. But they are so typical.

I then mentioned to my friend about luxury/exotic car selling companies located on the Internet. We went to some sites together and he immediately said wow. Here, if you are ready to plunk $25,000 down, you can really get some value on a late 1980s Porsche with 50,000 miles, all decked out, for just $23,000 or so.

Many online customers buy a Porsche and then resell it years later for another one at about the same price. You see, Porsche’s hold their value better than any other luxury car.

It dawned on my friend, drive a luxury car and get most of your money back when you go to sell it a few years later! Chances are you are out only a small amount when you sell the car. Since not everyone is a Porsche lover, perhaps a Ferrari, Lamborghini or a Bentley or an Aston Martin is a better option if you are not sure what you want.

There are several good web sites that sell late-model used cars owned by private sellers across the country. No pushy salespeople. An online representative asks a few questions about what you are looking for and explains the concept. I think that qualifies as the alternative people are seeking. It is all about value.

Far be it from me to push a friend or someone into a luxury vehicle. Actually, we are about saving money, but we are also all about spending it wisely. And we all earn our money through hard work. Sometimes we need to stretch out once in a while to enjoy it.

If we look at a car as a value investment, we are looking to get the most payback, short term and long term, for the price. If you throw the pleasure factor in, and look at the long-term resale value of these luxury cars, they may just be the best value. It is the same logic that makes a growth stock a value stock if it is priced right.

It took some time for this concept to sink in for my friend. Two things eventually excited him: the availability of really nice cars for roughly the same cost as an ordinary new car and the choices and ease of buying offered by the online experience.

Here are some pointers about the pre-owned luxury-car segment:

Surprisingly low prices. Prices for a late-model used luxury car might be $10,000 to $20,000 or more lower than the equivalent new one. Like most cars, most depreciation is in the first two years. But wealthy luxury car buyers want new and shun the others, giving a larger initial price drop. After that two-year period, they tend to hold their value better.

Better warranty. Most luxury cars have a five-year, 50,000 mile warranty, two years and 20,000 miles better than most ordinary cars. Compared with buying new, you may get just as much warranty with one of these vehicles.

Better care. Most people take better care of luxury cars. They are kept in garages, and people do not drive the wheels off of them. Most have low mileage.

Price and facts are out in the open. True, the price is lo-haggle and you will mot be able to negotiate it down too much. Further, the company is usually not compensated by the amount of a deal.

More choices. Part of what differentiates the online buying experience is choice. It is not just two or three cars in a given category, like you would find in a traditional dealership. It makes it much easier to shop.

Getting more respect. My friend ultimately bought a car online. He said this is an easy, non-threatening process. No push, no up-sell, no price games. All questions answered all facts available online.

One of the biggest concerns is reducing risk. Buying a luxury/exotic vehicle may seem expensive and risky, but the combination of lower price than a new car, usually a warranty and better care by the owner removes a lot of what we call luxury car product risk. Credible online luxury/exotic car buying experiences take out a lot of the luxury car purchase risk.

Buying a luxury car still has its hurdles, like $700 brake jobs and higher insurance costs. But these may be an Ok price to pay to get more enjoyment for what you dream for.

Maybe buying a luxury/exotic car still seems like an extravagance. But, before you settle for that Honda, Toyota , or Impala, knows that you may have a better choice.



KORY

Tom Kline asked:


Don’t risk being stranded or getting less than you should from your car at trade in. A little attention to the basics now will improve its appearance and performance for years to come.

Now scheduling with your service center is easy, thanks to this handy checklist of items for the spring season. Don’t miss the first checklist, with items you can do yourself.

1.First, find a quality service shop. Look for one that services cars equal in value to your own (their parking lot will speak volumes!). Go inside and check out the equipment in the service bays (for example, our RK Chevrolet service center has state-of-the-art, computerized equipment. This facilitates faster diagnosis and repair, getting you back on the road quicker.)

To find out the qualifications of the technicians, scan the walls for trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and training classes.

2.Have your technician check the tightness and condition of belts, clamps, and hoses. (RK Scion technicians recommend that belts and hoses be inspected monthly).

Worn, glazed or frayed belts should be replaced, as should bulging, rotten, or brittle hoses. Clamps should be tightened.

3.Anything that is worn or damaged should be replaced to prevent sudden breakdowns.

4.If your air conditioner system is faulty, have it checked. Cooling inefficiency could be the result of a lack of air flow across the condenser. Have your mechanic make sure the electric cooling fan motor near the condenser is coming on.

In fan blade models, the fan should turn very fast. Also have your mechanic check the Freon level and pressure. Air conditioners on older vehicles often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be released into the air if the system isn’t working properly.

5.If your engine is experiencing hard starts, rough idling, or stalling, have it fixed. Often times, the trouble stems from basic things like worn spark plugs, a dirty air filter, or bad ignition wires, but if you’re not mechanically inclined whatsoever, it’s best to go straight to a professional.

(Taking care of little things early will likely improve your gasoline mileage and prevent minor problems from becoming expensive repairs later on.

6.Don’t neglect your transmission. RK Toyota technicians report that routine service can eliminate costly repairs down the road. A manual transmission does not usually experience trouble, except for the clutch, which can be problematic if improperly adjusted or abused.

A common problem with automatics is fluid breakdown from overheating. Fluid and filter changes every 24,000 miles can avoid premature transmission failure but few people heed such advice.

Don’t miss Part 1 of this series: RK Auto Group Spring Checklist of Services You Can Do On Your Own.



JOHNNIE