The Citizen, 1998-01-28, Page 10DAN'S AUTO REPAIR
- COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE -
COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES
MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION
Owned and Operated by
Dan & Heather Snell
RR 3, Blythe Ont. NOM 1H0
(on the Westfield Rd.)
DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician
523-4356
Jeff Cook
Licenced Class 'A' Mechanic
Box 608, Clinton, ON
- JC AUTO REPAIR
238 Albert St. (Hwy. #4 N.) CLINTON
(519) 482-1143
- Repairs to all makes of cars and trucks. -
CARTER'S WEST END GARAGE
AND BODY SHOP
EXHAUST AND BRAKE COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIR
SPECIALISTS AND PAINTING
WHEEL ALIGNMENT & BALANCING
TOWING
OWNER-OPERATOR
HARVEY CARTER
215 HURON ST., BOX 728
PH: (519) 482-9363
CLINTON, ONT. NOM 1L0
FAX (5T9) 482-3534
Certified Used Cars & Repairs to
all makes and models
Box 874 North St. W.
WIngham, Ont. NOG 2W0
PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1998.
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Check brake knowledge for safe driving tips
Brakes are the most critical
safety item on a vehicle. After tires,
they are the leading vehicle defect
reported at highway accidents,
according to some North American
studies.
But how much do you know
about your brakes? Find out by
taking this simple brake quiz. It
You hit a bump on the road and
your muffler starts dragging, sparks
flying everywhere. Then, the
muffler goes flying off, right into
the left headlight and bumper of the
car behind you.
As you roar down the highway,
hoping you don't encounter any
police cars, you can't believe that
you didn't act sooner. What could
have cost you only a few dollars to
have a new bracket installed, is
now going to cost you a lot more.
Annoying, embarrassing and
expensive, this kind of scenario can
be avoided with a few easy and
inexpensive preventative measures.
The loss of a muffler, and/or the
pipes that go with it, is usually due
to a broken support bracket or
hanger that secures the exhaust
system to the frame of your car.
These flexible brackets are
vulnerable to damage caused by the
elements (weather), flying stones or
other road debris, and engine
vibrations.
The rattling and banging of an
exhaust pipe against the underneath
of your car or the road is the first
sign that a bracket has broken. That
is a clear warning that you need to
act quickly and replace the
necessary part.
Your muffler may still be
Proper maintenance of tires and
wheel alignment can help to reduce
the costs of operating your vehicle.
For example, tires under inflated by
only eight pounds can reduce gas
mileage by five per cent and cut
tire life by 25 per cent or more.
The amount of money we pay for
gas and tires today, makes it
worthwhile to check tire inflation.
And ensuring your vehicle is
running at peak efficiency is
environmentally friendly too.
How do you check your tire
pressure? You may want to own a
tire gauge, which is available in
most automotive stores, such as a
retailer, department store, or
automotive parts wholesaler for
under $10.
Also, when your vehicle is on the
hoist or lift for regular vehicle
maintenance or repairs, ask your
automotive service technician to
check the tires for abnormal wear.
More fuel is consumed as a result
of incorrect alignment, which can
result in at least a two per cent
tankful energy loss as well as
reducing tire life. Of course,
incorrect alignment accelerates tire
wear to an even greater degree.
There are two easy ways to
detect incorrect alignment of tire
balance, indicating the need for
cost saving wheel and front-end
service:
1) Looseness or excessive play in
steering, or difficulty in controlling
the vehicle over bumps and around
could save your life.
1. If your car pulls to the left when
brakes are applied:
a) your left front tire may be
under-inflated
b) your right front brake is not
working properly
c) your left front wheel bearing
may be failing
d) all of the above
perfectly good. It is most likely the
bracket, which costs only a few
dollars, that needs replacing. Many
mufflers that have fallen from their
owner's vehicle and that you see on
the side of the road are perfectly
good, but they fell off because a
bracket or two needed replacing.
The exhaust system should be
inspected whenever the car is on a
hoist for regular preventative
maintenance. In between time, you
can check it yourself by reaching
down and shaking the tile pipe
(when it is cool). If it is loose or
hits the car's undercarriage or body,
then you know you might have a
problem. When in doubt have your
mechanic/automotive service
technician check it for you.
And be careful. Another warning
noise, the familiar rubble or roar of
a blown muffler, or in its early
stages a faint "pfft...pfft...pfft...",
can be deadly if not tended to
immediately. These sounds may be
caused by a small hole in the
exhaust system. Colourless and
odourless exhaust fumes, composed
of carbon monoxide gases, can seep
into your car and they can be lethal.
The sooner you replace the
defective exhaust parts, the better
and healthier you'll be.
curves are indications of problems
which need correcting.
2) Vibration or the slightest
shimmy are also indications of a
problem,
When vehicles are on the hoist,
they should be checked for front-
end and steering looseness, and
shock absorber leakage. A good
automotive service technician can
determine the corrective measures
needed for steering and suspension
systems ... or advise that ball
joints, steering, linkage and shock
absorbers or struts are dependable,
but wearing to the point where
replacement would be advisable in
the near future.
Careful attention to steering,
suspension and tires are among the
major considerations to keep
vehicle maintenance costs low.
The correct answer is 'd'.
2. When brakes squeal you should
a) replace all pads and linings
b) have the rotors resurfaced
c) ignore the noise, it's normal,
and turn up your radio
d) have a mechanic/automotive
service technician check it out
e) all of the above
The correct answer is 'd'. A brake
inspection may disclose that one of
the other answers also applies.
Brake squeal is a common problem,
indicating a need for corrective
measures. Only a thorough brake
inspection can reveal the true cause
of the problem.
3. Brake fluid in the master
cylinder reservoir should be
checked and replenished as needed.
When doing do, you should use:
a) whatever good brake fluid you
may have in your garage
b) a good quality brake fluid
meeting the specifications
The average transaction price of
a new passenger car today is more
than $21,000 and the average for a
truck is more than $31,000. To
make purchasing a vehicle more
affordable you may be considering
buying a previously owned or
secondhand vehicle. It's a smart
choice that many Canadians are
making.
Total used vehicle sales
increased from 2.3 million units in
1990 to 2.9 million units in 1996.
If you are considering buying a
used car, even 4 fairly new one, be
sure to factor in a reserve repair
fund into your total budget. When
buying a used car, the first money
you spend should be on the services
of a trained automotive technician
to look over your perspective
purchase. Your trusted automotive
service technician can help you
spot discrepancies that the
untrained eye might never catch.
This ounce of prevention will not
only help you to avoid making a
bad purchase, it will also help you
to determine what, if anything, you
can expect to spend on repairs soon
after you become the new owner. A
drive belt, radiator hose, battery,
brakes, or a couple of tires are all
typical items which might soon
need repair.
Armed with the knowledge of
those impending repairs, you may
be able to have some extra
bargaining power with the vehicle's
current owner.
And be wary of the vehicle seller,
either a private owner or part of a
dealership, who resists a
professional inspection. It may
mean they have something to hide.
A professional opinion can be
valuable in estimating interior
repairs, too. A car with worn or
recommended in your owner's
manual
c) a quality grade 20 weight motor
oil
d) all of the above
The correct answer is 'b'. Always
use brake fluid from a freshly
opened container. Use only the
specific grade of oil recommended
in your owner's manual.
4. Most brake lining pads are now
made of:
a) steel wool-like strands in a heat
resistant resin binder
b) high friction, heat resistant
asbestos fibre
c) ceramic based friction material
d) any or all of the above
The correct answer is 'a'.
Asbestos, now considered a
hazardous waste, has not been used
in brake linings for a long time.
5. Do you understand your ABS
brakes, answer true or false:
(Score half a point for each of the
damaged fabric that is still in good
operating condition may still be a
good investment. Upholstery burns
and tears can usually be repaired by
an upholstery shop at a reasonable
price. Don't forget to have your
technician take a good look at the
vehicle's outer body as well.
Once you have made your
following)
a) Even with ABS, on a slippery
road I should pump the brakes for
maximum stopping power.
The correct answer is 'false'. The
ABS system will pump only the
brake or brakes on wheels that are
slipping. The other brakes remain
fully applied, so you'll stop faster.
The ABS system can pump the
brakes that need to be pumped
many times a second.
b) When I press down on a pedal
on a slippery day, I feel the pedal
press back against my foot and I
hear a humming noise. This
means the brakes are failing.
The correct answer is 'false'. This
is normal, and tells you that the
ABS system is working. Use a firm
steady pressure on the brake pedal.
What's your score?
If you have five correct answers
you have an excellent knowledge
of brakes. Congratulations!
decision and purchased a
previously owned vehicle,
remember to do some basic
preventative maintenance at regular
intervals. Clean oil, a fresh oil
filter, and a properly tuned engine
cost very little, but add thousands.
of kilometres to the life of your
vehicle.
Exhaust fix easy
Tire care cuts costs
Ideas for used car buying