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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1976-04-01, Page 24Let us check over all of the items on this list to put your car in top shape for summer motoring O ENGINE TUNE-UP—This is the best way to bring your engine back to life for carefree summer driving. Our tune-up includes a new set of Champion spark plugs plus whatever basic tune- up items we find your car needs. We check points, copdenser, rotor, .distributor cap, compression, wiring and electrical connections, coil and air filter, 0 BATTERY—We'll check it for full power, make sure terminals are tight and clean. O VOLTAGE REGULATOR—Let us check it. Over or under charging can ruin battery. O STARTER AND ALTERNATOR OR GENERA- TOR—We'll remove any corrosion and check brushes. 0 AUTOMATIC CHOKE—We'll check idle adjustment. O CARBURETOR—We'll check, remove and clean it if necessary, O FAN AND PULLEY BELTS—We'll check ad- justments. If belts are badly worn they should be replaced. O CRANKCASE—We'll change dirty oil—put in proper grade oil for summer driving. O LIGHTS AND WIPERS—Summer storms can mean dark and dangerous driving. We'll make sure that headlights, parking lights, taillights, stop lights and directionals are all working properly. We'll also check wiper operation to see that blades wipe clean without streaking, fill windshield washer tank with cleaning solution. • O TIRES—We'll examine them carefully. Worn tires can spell trouble on crowded vacation high- ways. O BRAKES—We'll check for proper adjustment— a slight pull to one side can slide you off the road. Visit us for dependable service. We've been looking after the motoring needs of Exeter and area residents for over 40 years. 'GRAHAM ARTHUR MOTORS Exeter 235-1373 TEXACO CHECK LIST for trouble-free summer driving! VISIT RADIO SHACK AND DISCOVER HOW YOU CAN INCREASE DRIVING FUN Besides adding to the fun of driving, a REALISTIC CB RADIO is a big help in almost any emergency • PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION • RADIO SHACK QUALITY • GORD KIRK'S GOOD SERVICE Radio ilhaek AND TROPHIES DEALER 411 Main St. Exeter 235-2261 8 A DIVISION OF TANDY LEATHER CO. OF CANADA LIMITED UNE DIVISION DE TANDY LEATHER CO. DU CANADA LIMITEE REALISTIC Mini 23 CB Radio ONLY 923 By FRED YOUNGS We speak of cars in reverential tones,gof the maintenance on them And the need to take care of them. Fear at the prospect of ma-, jor work, grown men have been known to rip off their own heads rather than face a bill for a valve job. Talk of crankshaft and bearing work is done with the glazed look of the bereaved, the eyes gaunt and hollowed, the voice low and hushed as they stare off into space. Horror stories of astronomical bills for the replacement of transmissions. "When the bands went, I had to put a third mortgage on the house and sell my youngest son to pay off." Then there is the terrifying prospect of being sans auto. "We'll be without the car a week Alice." "Oh my God, George, how will we eat? and what about the children?" Yes, indeed, what about the children? Having to walk to school, and when they grow tired, grabbing the bumper of a passing car for a tow just so they can make it. It's not a pretty picture at all, but face facts, we need our cars. We rely on our cars and, most im- portantly we don't know the first thing about how they run. We know that the handle opens the door, and when the key turns it on, some mystical process of gasoline and air ex- ploding allows you to put it in "D" and the wheels will roll and you'll aim it and you will get from A to B, if it doesn't break down, That's why we need garages and mechanics, and that is why people should look after their cars a little better. Garages, contrary to pop- ular opinion, are not out to gouge your last dollar from your hand. They are honest people, who, one can expect, would rather you follow a rigid maintenance system rather than rebuild the hulk- ing eight cylinders under the hood. But facts are facts and if you burn out your engine, it is going to cost yob money. Pistons are not just regular 1976 CAR CHECK CAMPAIGN Spiralling inflationary costs hit the automobile owner hard where it hurts the most — in the pocketbook. Auto repairs cost more because parts cost more, and labour costs more. The Canada Safety Council suggests as a result that the vehicle owner should be defensive — he/she should have the vehicle inspected frequently by a qualified in- dividual so that defects might be corrected before extensive and expensive repairs are un- avoidable. The Council calls it 'Defen- sive Maintenance'. "It is just like defensive driving", ac- cording to the Safety Council — "You take the necessary precautions to stay out of trouble." Citing the most commonly overlooked defects — steer- ing, brakes, tires, and exhaust — the Council points out that a major fault developing in the first three of these can result in a serious accident, and huge expenses. A fault in the fourth can be fatal, even when driving at 5 mph wear- ing safety belts, since nothing protects against poisonous gas that can come spewing from a faulty exhaust system. At the same time, each driver can check other safety items frequently — windshield wipers for clean and proper operation, lights and turn signals, horn and mirrors. pieces of metal that can be dropped in in a haphazard manner. They are carefully forged and each ring on the piston has to be precisely applied otherwise you will be back to square one with an engine that belches blue smoke from your driveway to Toronto. Proper maintenance can avoid this sort of thing. If the only thing you put in your car over a six month period is gas, then you deserve a bill, If, however, you have your oil changed and the car tuned properly and the suspension checked, and if you take care that all the fluids are up, and generally take it to a service station, you won't face one of those monster bills. Sure, there'll be smaller, more frequent bills, but in the end., Many drivers would have a tendency to defer body repairs to the inside of the trunk . . . holes usually caus- ed by an accumulation of salt and water over a couple of winters. After all, they generally do not show to spoil the vehicle's appearance, and do not seem to create much of a driving hazard. Incorrect reasoning, accor- ding to the Canada Safety, Council. Holes in the trunk floor or rear wheel housing can be dangerous, since they can allow substantial quan- tities of poisonous carbon monoxide to enter the trunk compartment, especially when a car is idling in heavy traffic. The odourless, colourless gas then enters the vehicle around the back seat. As a matter of fact, a Coun- cil spokesman says the gas can be drawn in through the when your car lasts two or three years longer, and still has a reasonable trade-in value, won't it all have been worth it? Spending $40, $50 or even $60 now with a local garage to refurbish the engine and keep it in tip top shape will be an investment that will repay itself in several years. Mechanics have to make a living too, and they aren't go- ing to give away major work free, just as they will charge for minor work. Remember though, they have a skill that is exacting. Watch them for a while and you will see what goes into it. A good mechanic is worth his weight in gold, and he'll tell you this too: take care of your car now and you won't pay in the'end. trunk lid opening if not very well sealed while the vehicle is in motion, due to the vacuum created. An easily seen example of this is the rear of many sta- tion- wagons that have not been fitted with deflectors. Station wagon owners face a special hazard even in good weather if driving with the rear window down. Enough carbon monoxide can be drawn through the open win- dow to become a hazard. A recommendation to fix holes in the trunk is part of the 1976 "Defensive Maintenance" program of the Canada Safety Council. A sound precaution at any time, according to Council Direc- tor, Phil Farmer, is to drive with a side window partly open at all times. 'In fact, in winter,. this helps to circulate warm air from the heating unit as well. Page 4 Times-Advocate, Second Section, April 1, 1976 Joys of driving Don't defer bodywork