HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-10-27, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011. PAGE 21.
MS –Getting more for your
money is a popular trend among
consumers. As economic uncertainty
looms, smart consumers are looking
for the best value in an effort to get
the most out of each and every dollar
they spend.
One of the best ways to stretch a
dollar is to take better care of your
vehicle. Buying a home and
financing a college education are
perhaps the only times many
consumers will spend more money
than they do when purchasing a
vehicle. But unlike a home or an
education, few people take their
vehicles seriously, all too often
avoiding vehicle maintenance that
can greatly increase a car or truck’s
life expectancy.
Drivers who want to keep their
cars going strong for years to come
can do so in a handful of ways.
• Prevent, prevent, prevent:
Preventive maintenance might seem
like a boring way to spend a
weekend morning or afternoon, but
the efforts will be well worth it.
Oil changes and filter
replacements are quick and easy
jobs but pay major dividends over
the long haul. Drivers who aren’t
comfortable performing these tasks
themselves need not worry about
costly trips to the mechanic. Routine
jobs like an oil change or air filter
replacement are relatively
inexpensive and today’s vehicles can
go much longer between oil changes
and filter replacements.
Each vehicle manufacturer is
different, so drivers should consult
their owner’s manual and adhere to
the recommended maintenance
schedule.
• Stay balanced:Balanced tires
are tires that will last longer. But an
out-of-balance tire will not only
shorten the life of tires, it can also do
damage to the rest of the vehicle
while simultaneously making riding
in the car much less comfortable.
When a tire is properly balanced, its
mass is uniformly distributed around
the axle, making for a smooth,
vibration-free ride. However, an out-
of-balance tire shortens the life
expectancy of suspension
components, including bearings and
shocks.
Repairs that result from an
unbalanced tire can prove costly.
Should a vibration occur as the
vehicle accelerates (typically, this
vibration will be noticeable when
the car reaches speeds of 60 to 70
kilometres per hour), chances are the
tires are not properly balanced.
• Look good, feel good:The credo
of “look good, feel good” isn’t only
applicable to humans. In fact, a car
that looks good likely feels good as
well.
Washing and waxing a car
regularly helps avoid rust under the
carriage and in the wheel wells. The
longer a car goes between washes,
the more likely it is to rust, and the
paint is likely to corrode as well.
There is no quick fix to either of
these problems, but preventive
maintenance, like routinely washing
and waxing the vehicle, can keep
these potentially menacing issues
from ever rearing their rusty heads.
Preventing rust and corrosion is
also a good way to ensure a car’s
resale value does not diminish over
time.
• Get out and drive:Cars that
spend most of their life in stop-and-
go traffic likely won’t last as long as
those that routinely get out and go.
That’s because city driving, with lots
of stopping and going, is very taxing
on an engine.
On a highway, air flow to the
radiator, oil flow to the engine and
everything that makes a car run is
much more consistent, reducing the
stress on the engine as a result.
Constantly accelerating and
decelerating is hard on an engine,
while the consistent speeds of
highway driving offer a welcome
respite to the engine.
City dwellers should get out and
drive their car on a highway at least
once a month for no less than 30
minutes. This is also a good way to
get rid of potentially harmful
condensation that can negatively
impact engine performance.
When looking to get more for your
money, one of the best ways to do so
is to take better care of the car sitting
in your driveway.
Continued from page 18
sized spare tire in the event you have
a blow-out or need to change a tire
that has a puncture in it.
• Funnel: A funnel helps direct
liquids with minimal spillage when
filling up the fluid reservoirs of the
car, be it motor oil, windshield
washer fluid, etc.
• Goggles and gloves:Protecting
the eyes and hands while working in
the engine or under the body of the
car is a priority. Hot engine parts
and kicked-up debris can
make work dangerous. Do-it-
yourselfers should always don
gloves and goggles to protect
themselves.
• Lighting:Flashlights, tool lights
and even a high-powered work lamp
can illuminate the caverns of the
engine, making the project safer and
easier.
Whether you’re a professional or a
do-it-yourselfer, having the right
tools makes a difference when
making automotive repairs.
Get more out of your car this fall, winter
Know
your
tools
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