The Citizen, 2010-10-21, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010. PAGE 21.
Continued from page 17
have changed our lives, advances in
automotive technology can change a
car’s life. For example, traditional
petroleum motor oils have long been
the blind choice of motorists.
However, these oils have long been
known to form sludge, gums and
varnishes as they break down.
Synthetic motor oils, because of
their higher flash points and their
ability to withstand oxidation and
evaporation loss, are far more
resistant to sludge development. As
a result, engines run cleaner with
synthetics, offering better fuel
economy, wear protection and
superior performance
Synthetic
lubricants
the way to go
Tire care the first line of defense in maintenance
For most people, their car is their
lifeblood. It gets them to work, to
school, to their lives. And in these
tough times, many are keeping their
cars longer than ever before. It
might be tempting to neglect regular
maintenance tasks in the name of
saving money, but in the long run,
that could end up costing you even
more. And proper maintenance is
crucial now, with winter just around
the corner.
When it comes to car
maintenance, tire care is the first line
of defense. But according to the
Rubber Manufacturers Association
(RMA), an alarming number of
consumers don’t pay attention to
their tires, and the results can be
costly – and dangerous.
Underinflated tires pose a definite
safety risk.
The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA)
acknowledges that underinflated
tires contribute to many accidents
throughout the year. Fifty per cent of
vehicles have at least one
underinflated tire and only nine per
cent of vehicles have four properly
inflated tires.
But it doesn’t have to be this way;
proper tire care is simple.
The RMA’s “PART” campaign
gives consumers an easy way to
remember the basics of monthly tire
maintenance:
Pressure:According to the RMA,
underinflation is a tire’s number one
enemy. It results in unnecessary tire
stress, irregular wear, loss of control
and accidents. A tire can lose up to
half of its air pressure and not appear
to be flat.
And the air pressure listed on the
side of your tire is not the correct air
pressure for your vehicle. That
number is the maximum air pressure
for the tire. The correct tire pressure
can be found in the car’s owner’s
manual, on the gas tank lid, on the
driver’s side door edge, and on the
door post.
Alignment:A bad jolt fromhitting a curb or pothole can throw
your front end out of alignment and
damage your tires. Misalignment of
wheels in the front or rear can cause
uneven and rapid treadwear.
Rotation:Regularly rotating your
vehicle’s tires will help achieve
more uniform wear.
Tread:To prevent hydroplaning
and skidding, your tires must have
proper tread depth. The minimum
tread depth is 1.6 mm.
The easiest way to check your
tread depth is the penny test. Take a
penny and place it in the tread of
your tire. If part of the Queen’s head
is covered by the tread, your tires
have enough tread. If you can see the
Queen’s entire head, you should buy
a new tire.
In regions with harsh winters,
drivers should switch to winter tires
when the temperature dips. Colder
weather brings on a whole new set of
driving challenges – slush, ice and
hard-packed snow – and once the
temperature drops low enough, so
does an all-season tire’s ability to
grip the road.
Many cars have all-season tires,
but they just aren’t built to hold theroad in the same way that winter
tires do.
Winter tires provide safety and
control in cold weather as well as
snow and ice, because they are
specifically engineered to deliver a
25 to 50 per cent increase in traction
over all-season radials.
That’s enough added traction and
braking power to avoid a severeweather-related accident.
Take care of your tires during
winter and they will take care
of you. Remember your winter
tires are not designed just for
snow.
They are designed to
increase traction in cold winter
conditions.
JenkinsL.H.
Limited
TOWING,
AUTO PARTS & REPAIR
“Friendly Service & Reasonable Prices”
519-524-2181
Towing 519-524-2182
24
HOUR
• Damage Free Towing
• Flat Bed Towing
• Local & Long Distance
LARGE SELECTION OF NEW & USED PARTS
FOR ALL MAKES & MODELS
“Fuel tanks our specialty”
CANADIAN
TIRE AUTO CLUB National
Auto League
RADAR
AUTO PARTS
"You will find it at CARQUEST"
235 Turnberry St.,
BRUSSELS 519-887-9661
Highway 8 West,
MITCHELL 519-348-8485
20 King St.,
CLINTON 519-482-3445
Also at:
and
Car Oiling
at
Lee's Service Centre
Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 1 pm - 8 pm; Fri. 1 pm - 6 pm; Sat. 8 am - 12 noon
(Weather permitting) 348 Dinsley St. E., Blyth 519-523-9151
We use Hot, Acid Free, New Oil
CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS
Trunk Lid
Inner Fenders
Doors & Door Panels Dog LegsUnderside
Inner Fenders
Hood
and Detailing
519-523-9725
II tt ''ss TT hh aa tt TT ii mm ee AA gg aa ii nn !!
Repairs to all makes
& models of cars & trucks
Located 2 miles
south of Blyth
Corner of London Rd.
& Hullett-McKillop Rd.
Jack Van Dorp 519-523-9308
Get your car or truck ready
for the cold winter now —
book your
Fall & Winter tune-up
• General Repairs & Maintenance
• Oil Undercoating
• Brakes
• Tune-Ups
Inflate if you love safety!
Many vehicles have at least one under-inflated tire which
can lead to accidents. (MS photo)