HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1979-10-24, Page 17Car Care
Even though they've been
warned time after time not to
head out in snowstorms,
people still do and will
anu 4, 1979 and more of the same corning t Yea;
A SNOWY VIEW — On Wednesday morning, winter arrived with a Visibility was poor and school buses stayed off
geance as this snowy view of the Main Street of Seaferth shows. the roads. (Expositor Photo)
Minutes can
save car cost
BY ALICE GIBE
Cars, like people, can al-
ways use a little tender
loving care and at least some
of that care can be provided
by the car's owners. While
serious maintenance prob-
lems still have to be handled
by trained mechanics, there
are a number of checks that
any driver ca n make to
ensure his car's in good
running order.
Charlie Campbell, service
manager of McLaughlin
Motors, said a 10-minute
inspection weekly could save
a car owner an average of $10
per month in maintenance
costs.
He said car owners should
check their tire pressure
regularly, note if the brakes
are grabbing, use an'
anti-freeze tester to test fluid
levels or ask service station
attendants to check the, levels,
inspect windshield wipers to
see that they're working
properly and take a look at
belts and hoses.
He reminded drivers that
oil, for example, deteriorates
much more quickly in winter
driving conditions, so should
be checked more often.
He said a 10-minute week-
ly visual inspection pays
dividends since "it's easier
to repair and prevent dam-
age than it is to pay for it
after the damage has
occurred."
Mr. Campbell said most
dealers and service stations
can supply drivers with a
checklist of things they
should inspect on a regular
basis. He said the inspect-
ions mean "problems are
reduced and pocketbooks are
a little thicker."
Bill Dalrymple, who's
worked servicing cars at
Rowcliffe Motors for 31 yearsi
said he would advise people
who are buying gas at self-
service stations to check their
own oil levels, as well as
radiator, battery and brake
fluid levels.
He added if any other
unusual noises or problems
show up in a car, then it
should be brought into the
garage to be checked out,
John Munro of Seaforth
Motors, said on a new car,
there isn't a great deal a
person can do, except check
things like fluid levels, wind-
shield wiper blades and the
fan belt. Most of these things
can be done with a visual
check. He also cautioned that
the newer radial tires often
have bead leaks around the
edge of the rim, so tire
pressure should also be
checked often.
TIRE PRESSURE
He said a lot of drivers
aren't aware as the temper-
ature outside gets colder,
then the pressure in tires
falls. He said pressure in-
creases with faster driving,
on highways such as the 401.
He said car owners can
purchase their own testing
device to check the pressure
in radial tires.
Mr. Munro also recom-
mends using the schedule set
out in owner's manual. He
said personally he's a great
believer in bringing a car in
for spring and fall checkups.
The service manager said
his servicemen have noticed
instances of radiator trouble
getting quite common in
certain makes, and he recom-
mends that people change
the antifreeze in their cars
every two years to avoid a
buildup of sludge and other
problems.
PREVENTION
He said if hoses are
changed every three to four
years, then "this can save
you a lot of aggravation."
Gord Phillips, owner of
Gord's Gulf, said he advises
people to check both their oil
and air pressure in tires
every once and a while. He
said motorists should also
keep an eye on their gas
mileage and if the miles per
gallon seem to be dropping,
then the car should be
brought in for servicing.
Fred Tilley1 of the
Canadian Tire store, said his
staff advises that car owners
check all the fluid levels in
the car frequently, check the
windshield washer fluid and
the wiper blades, check fan
belts and hoses for any
loosening or leaks and check
all the lights on the exterior
of the car. He said these
checks should catch quite a
few potential problems.
Marc Robinet, manager of
Archie's Sunoco, said one
(Continued on Page 8A)
AN ADVERTISING SECTION OF
THE BRUSSELS POST,
THE BLYTH STANDARD AND
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, WEEK OF OCTOBER 25, 1979 continue to get stuck in
them. The Goderich O.P.F.
and Dr. Alexander Bozyk of
Brussels offered the follow-
ing suggestions as to what
you could carry as a form of
survival kit in case you get
stuck in a snowstorm.
Cor stable A.D. Burt's first
advice was don't head out in
a snowstorm period, but he
suggested some of the
following ideas for a survival
kit. You should carry flares,
blankets, and some sort of
makeshift first aid kit. You
should also carry food sup-
plies such as tea bags and
chocolate bars. He advised
that you should change those
once a week. Other items
could include matches, a
shovel, and perhaps a pail of
sand or salt and you could
also carry a complete change
of clothing.
Dr. Bozyk offered much of
the same type of advice. He
suggested that warm cloth-
ing such as a ski-doo outfit
should be in the car and that
when you get stranded in the
snowstorm you should put it
on right away along with
warm boots.
He also suggested a ther- •
mos bottle with hot chocolate
or coffee, a first aid kit with
bandages, ointment and anti-
biotics to put on any scratch-
es and wounds. And he
suggested you should keep a
good blanket or two in the
trunk. He also thought it's a
gOod idea to have a CB radio
if possible in the car so
people conid ask for help if
they needed it.
A winter necessity
A survival kit in your car