HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-04-18, Page 8Call now and book your Spring Tune Up
- COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE -
COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES
MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION
DAN'S AUTO REPAIR
Owned and Operated by
Dan & Heather Snell
RR 3, [Myth, Ont. NOM 1H0
(on the Westfield Rd.)
DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician
523-4356
DIAMOND
$4995
Includes: Mopar Oil
- Mopar Oil Filter
- Lube (where applicable)
- 15-point visual inspection
Springy Service SPecia(s At
MOPAR COOLING SYSTEM
SERVICE
Includes: Flush & drain cooling system $5 95
- Installation of up to 5 litres of Mopar
4-Season Antifreeze/Coolant -
Inspection of radiator belts and hoses .•
SPRING MAINTENANCE PACKAGE
Includes: Up to 5 litres of Mopar Oil - Mopar Oil Filter-
Lube (where applicable) - Rotation of 4 tires- Inspection of
cooling system, all fluid levels, 95
front-and-rear brake system,
exhaust system, suspension system
Road test and report results
The Right Price! The Right Parts! The Right Equipment!
CHRYSLER 5 STAR SERVICE
524-4466 AT DIAMOND DODGE 888-242-2927
HARDLY USED...PICKS OF THE WEEK!
Under Warranty • Priced Right • Your Best Financing
SPRING
WARRANTY SALE
IS YOUR 2000, 1999 OR 1998 VEHICLE
NEARLY OUT OF WARRANTY?
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!
V Compare to costs of CAA AND minor vehicle repairs
V North America Wide Protection
V Rental Vehicle Provided
V Roadside Assistance
V Plans to cover your personal vehicle use
CALL FOR PRICING!
AT THE NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THE CORNER OF HWY 8 & SUNCOAST DRIVE
IN GODERICH 524-4466
[
OIL, LUBE AND FILTER
i ncludes: Up to 5 litres of Mopar Oil
- Mopar Oil Filter
- Lube (where applicable)
- 15-point visual inspection '24"
DIESEL SERVICE SPECIAL
- OIL, LURE & FILTER
BODY PROTECTION
SALE
Protect Your Investment!
4 Total Body Protection Packages
4 Lifetime Warranty
4 NO Oiling, NO Waxing,
4 NO Seat Covers
NO WORRIES!!
(COMPARE TO YEARLY APPLICATION OF OILING
PRODUCTS WITH NO WARRANTY)
CALL FOR PRICING
2-2000 NEONS
DEMOS, Auto., air, tilt, cruise, AM/FM cass.
Balance of Manufacturer's warranty. 1-white, 1-silver
1999 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER SE
3.81 V6, quad seats, cass/CD, power seat, overhead
console, aluminum wheels, Chrysler Gold warranty plan,
only 55000 km.
1999 PLYMOUTH BREEZE
2.4L, 4 cyl., air conditioning, tilt, cruise, power windows &
locks, cassette. Balance of Manufacturer's warranty.
16,900
1998 DODGE CARAVAN
3.0L, V6, 4 door, AM/FM/CD, air, tilt, running l5tards,
Chrysler 1 Yr/20000 km. Powertrain warranty
PAGE 8, THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2001.
GEAR UP FOR S RING 2001
Today's complex vehicles
require technician expertise
cold, at highway speeds or in the
city, shopping or accelerating.
Get to know your car, too. Read
through the owner's manual so you
know what to expect. Turn off your
stereo once in a while and listen to
the sound of your car when it's
healthy, so you're better able to
notice when it needs help. And if
you're really enthusiastic, sign up
for a night course at the high school,
or look for a car care clinic at some
of your local repair facilities. What
you learn could save you quite a few
dollars down the road.
Ka-thunk! There it goes again, that
noise that tells you your car is about
to shed something crucial in mid-
morning traffic. You need a good
automotive service technician — and
fast.
In days gone by you might have
thought about fixing your vehicle
yourself, but times have changed.
Vehicles are far more complex than
they used to be, equipped with
sophisticated computer equipment.
Vehicles today require the skill of a
trained automotive service techni-
cian for their repair and maintenance
needs.
In 1988, the mechanic installed
share of the aftermarket was only 55
per cent, do-it-yourselfers accounted
for 45 per cent of repairs. In 2000,
that number has changed drastically.
Today, 67 per cent of vehicle repairs
are performed_by trained automotive
service technicians, and that percent-
age will probably continue to
increase as vehicles become more
complex.
Rule number one for finding a
good automotive service technician:
don't wait until you're desperate for
help. Finding a mechanic you trust is
like finding a doctor or a' minister —
you need to build a relationship
based on trust and mutual respect.
These things don't happen
overnight.
Most of the business for a repair
garage is from referrals. The only
way to get referral business is from
satisfied customers. So if you are
looking for a new automotive serv-
ice technician, ask around. Ask your
friends, relatives, business associ-
ates, church members — anyone you
can think of. You'll probably get a
more reliable feel for who's good
Spring cleaning
Spring cleaning can give more than
your house a new lease on life. Your
car should be just as important a part
'of that ancient ritual.
A well-maintained car is actually
like a triangle. Careful attention to
your car's three sides, the outside, the
inside and the underside, will lead to
improved performance, longer wear
and greater resale value.
Above and beyond the exterior is
the engine, where routine car .mainte-
nance is a must. However, many car
owners have poor track records when
it comes to taking care of their cars. A
test of nearly 13,000 North American
cars revealed that 31 per cent were at
least one litre low on motor oil.
Oil is the lifeblood of the engine, so
the most important thing you can do
for your car is change the oil and fil-
ter regularly.
Wash your car frequently but never
use harsh soaps or dishwashing deter-
gents as they will remove the wax,
polish and protective layer from your
car's paint.
Instead, use a mild detergent spe-
cially formulated for car finishes. Use
a mitt or a soft sponge to wash the car
and rinse it frequently to get rid of dirt
that could scratch the paint. Wax or
polish is a must for keeping your ear
safe from the elements.
Frequent vacuuming of carpets and
cloth seats will help maintain the con-
dition of the car's interior, which goes
a long way toward determining its
resale value. Vinyl seats should be
cleaned, then wiped down with a
vinyl protectant periodically. Saddle
soap is best for keeping leather seats
soft and pliable. The dashboard and
other interior areas should be cleaned
and who's bad from a consensus of
several opinions than from one per-
son.
If you get a chance, drop in and
meet the people who will be working
on your car. Is the shop tidy and well
organized? Do they have the latest
computer equipment? Is there evi-
dence that the automotive service
technician in the shop takes regular
training courses in the latest technol-
ogy?
The days of the mechanic under
the hood with a screwdriver, turning
things until they sing just right, are a
distant memory. Now, they have to
be computer literate technicians,
interpreting the communications
between the on-board 'computer sys-
tem and the diagnostic computers in
the shop.
Where you go to an independent
garage, a department store, or a fran-
chised repair centre doesn't matter
all that much. In the end, it all comes
dowli to trust. You're looking for
sorkebody who is willing to tell you
which repairs should be made imme-
diately, which can be delayed with-
out affecting safety, and which are
completely optional for performance
upgrades. A good automotive service
technician will also be fair in charg-
ing for time — for example, if he's
tracing an electrical fault and it takes
longer than it should because he is
unfamiliar with your model of car,
he'll reduce the hours.
Car Care Canada notes that you
can help the automotive service
technician to help you, too. When
you take your car in with a problem,
tell the technician what the symp-
toms are (not what you think the
problem is). Describe whether it
happens when the car is warm or
• important to car
using the appropriate cleaning prod-
ucts for the material and,a protectant
can be used to deter fading and crack-
ing.
When the worst of winter is over.
take your car to a car wash and thor-
oughly wash the underside to elimi-
nate the corrosive road salt used to
melt snow. Actually, it's a good idea
to do this periodically throughout the
year. When the car is clean, check for
spots where its protective undercoat-
ing has been eaten away by road salt
or chipped by rocks and have them
repaired as soon as possible.
Think of an automobile tune-up as
your car's annual physical. Spring is
as good a time as any to schedule a
complete maintenance check-up. You
can do the check-up yourself or take
your car to a professional, but either
way you should ensure that your
spring tune-up follows this 11-point
check list:
• Change the oil using the recom-
mended oil grade;
• Check the air filter and change it
necessary;
• Check all belts and hoses;
• Check all fluid reservoirs;
• Tune up car and make sure all
electrical systems are operating prop-
erly;
• Check tires for proper air pressure
and any signs of wear;
• Check the exhaust system;
•Check wiper blades and fill the
wiper reservoir;
• Check engine coolant level and
concentration;
• Check air conditioning for leaks
and charge;
• Check all lights and review your
emergency supplies kit.