The Citizen, 2000-04-19, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2000. PAGE 7.
Spring Car Care 2000
Get a check-up before leaving on your vacation
Planning to explore Canada in
your car during your spring or
summer vacation? Or are you
driving to the cottage this summer?
Canada is a beautiful country, and
there is much to see and do on your
summer vacation, but if your
family vehicle will be used on this
trip have it checked out before you
leave. It could mean the difference
between an economical family
vacation and a disastrously
expensively one.
Like most Canadians you
probably experienced a relatively
mild winter, so you may be
tempted to think that your regular
spring maintenance on your vehicle
isn’t required. Think again. The
winter months, no matter how mild,
can cause normal deterioration of
certain vehicle parts, such as rubber
hoses and belts, exhaust brackets,
fluid level depletions, etc.
last minute rush for needed
maintenance or repairs. It could
save you time and money. Planning
pays off.
If you are one of the millions of
Canadians who will be vacationing
in your family vehicle, Car Care
Canada recommends you follow
this simple advice and avoid the
Before you leave on your trip,
have the following systems
checked and serviced as needed:
• Cooling system
• Engine system, including an oil
and filter change
• Engine and Electrical system
• Undercar, including brake and
exhaust systems, tires, suspension
and wheel alignment
How to stop being ‘exhausted’
• Transmission, verify fluid levels,
etc.
• Lights
• Windshield wipers
And don’t forget the interior and
exterior appearance of your vehicle
- family travel can be hard on a
vehicle. For example, a minor
upholstery tear can turn into a
gaping hole during a family
vacation. A hole in the carpet at the
accelerator pedal can become a
safety hazard if it catches your heel
in an emergency. A dragging mud
guard can turn into a dangerous
projectile for the car behind you.
Consider repairing these minor
problems before you leave so that
they don’t become major problems
on the trip.
It’s quite simple, practising these
simple preventative maintenance
techniques can save you lots of
time and money on your vacation.
Replacing a bracket on your
exhaust system before you leave
will cost you under $20.00,
replacing your entife muffler on
your vacation will cost you
considerably more money, as well
as a great deal of your vacation
time.
Car Care Canada wishes you a
safe and fun vacation.
You’re driving along in that
economical little car, and it sounds
like a fleet of gravel trucks. But it
doesn’t have to be that way.
According to Car Care Canada, the
main cause of falling mufflers is
simply a broken clamp. These can
usually be replaced for what
amounts to small change, compared
to the cost of a new exhaust system.
One warning sign is a clunking
noise when you start to drive away.
Just as you start to roll, you’ll hear
a series of clunks - you probably
need a clamp tightened or replaced.
That sound is the exhaust system
bouncing against the underside of
your car, and it’s a good idea to get
it fixed before something breaks
off.
Every time you have your oil
changed, make sure the technician
checks the exhaust system too. It
only takes a few seconds to give it
a quick look and a wiggle to make
sure everything is firm and tight.
Have you ever seen a car driving
along the highway trailing a stream
of sparks? It looks (and sounds)
like the rocket ship from an old
Buck Rogers TV show, but it’s no
joke. If there is any leak in the gas
tank, those sparks could make
things really interesting for the
driver and for other people nearby.
Even if there is no leak, there’s a
chance that the pipe could catch
something and turn into a spear,
destroying the gas tank or parts of
the suspension.
Of course, most problems are
less dramatic. Often, it’s a mere
pinhole in the system. This, too,
can be a danger as carbon
monoxide - colourless, odourless,
and potentially fatal - can leak into
the passenger compartment.
Exhaust system manufacturers
have made a lot of progress, using
more stainless steel (which is
corrosion resistant) and more
integrated systems (so there are
fewer parts to separate or break off)
to eliminate this problem as much
as possible, but corrosion is still a
possibility.
One of the things that drivers can
do to prolong the life of their
exhaust system is to reduce the
number of short trips they take. If
you have several things to do, save
them up and make one longer
errand out of several smaller ones.
That way, your car (and your
exhaust system) will warm up,
saving fuel, reducing tailpipe
emissions, and eliminating the
water in your exhaust that tends to
cause corrosion from the inside out.
What’s in an exhaust system,
anyway? It includes a muffler,
which feeds the engine noise
through a series of baffles to make
it quieter, a catalytic converter,
which reduces tailpipe
emissions, and piping that connects
these elements to the engine. Some
systems also contain a resonator, so
your car sounds more like a mean
muscle machine and less like a
sewing machine.
Catalytic converters do wear out.
Sometimes, they can be destroyed -
for example, long periods of idling
may “cook the catalyst” because
the temperature in the exhaust will
rise without any compensating
airflow to cool things off.
So if you want to avoid a rumble,
take good care of your exhaust
system. Like so many other things,
taking a little time to check can
help you avoid big troubles and big
expenses.
O)
O)
0)
o
c
in
</)
0)
o
WASH & WAX
318 Huron Road, Goderich
524-1481
fabric protection
we do window tints & detailing
interior/exterior grooming specialists
waxing & shampooing
buy your Mom & Dad a gift certificate
Huron County's
#1
Car Grooming
Specialist
Before you buy give McCutcheons a tr
‘18,950
’15,950
’14,450
MeW Silverado 4 door Trucks
(2 9% )________________y <■■ ■ up to 48 months^
Q.
0
Q
C
o
X
d
Q.
O
0)
Q.
0
o
c
O I
X
CD
O>
0)
o
c
in
w
0)
o
Q.
4-> w o c
o
X
d
Q.
o o
Q.
*-> w o c o
X
1999 CHEV LUMINALS-Fully foaded. 4 dr. V6, blue met . alum,
wheels, keyless entry, only 23000 km, bal. of factory warranty.
1998 CHEV MALIBU • Medium blue metallic, 4 dr., V6, fully loaded,
Balance of lactory warranty. Low kms.
1997 CHEV LUMINA - Fully loaded like new condition,
deluxe intenor, only 68000 km., aluminum wheels, spotless white
1997 CHEV LUMINA LS-Fully loaded, like new condition, ui nrn
keyless, 71000 km., AM/FM CD, alum, wheels, bronze met. paint Reduced to IhjUuU
1997 CHEV MALIBU • Fully loaded, 4 dr., V6,1 owner, keyless entry,
spotless burgundy with gold pkg., 44000 km, balance of warranty.
1995 CHEVROLET LUMINA • 4 dr., V6, auto, air,
fully loaded, silver, 98,000 km„ looks & drives like new.
1995 GEO METRO • 4 dr., 5 spd, cass, twin air bags,
4 cyl., 50+ M.P.G., like new condition, light blue.
1994 OLDS CIERA ■ Fully loaded, 4 dr, V6,
white, only 99000 km.
1994 CHEV CAVALIER • 2 dr., auto,spoiler, air,
economical 4 cylinder, like new cond., 130000 km, red.
1994 PONTIAC if^llv loaded 2 dr., V6, auto.,
sport model, never winte^SJpomS wule, only 60000 km.
1994 ACHIEV^i|r^td,OV6, air, cass.,
only 58000 km, spc^Uli>flrenew condition.
12-1994 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX SE • 4 dr., fully loaded.
excellent cond., luxury sport, 122000 km, keyless entry, aqua or green
1993 OLDS CIERA • Fully loaded, 4 door., V6,
only 132000 km, blue.
1993 FORD ESCORT LX WAGON - 4 cyl auto air, cass, white.
higher kms but in excellent condition.
1993 CHEV LUMINA • Fully loaded, V6, burgundy, air, cass,
excellent condition, great fuel economy.
1993 OLDS 98 REGENCY ELITE - Fuity loaded, 4 dr
luxury, spotless silver, 135000 km, like new condition.
1993 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM - 4 dr. luity loaded.
is like new cond. Low kms, dark blue metallic.
1992 BUICK REGAL CUSTOM - Fully loaded. 4 dr V6. white, bide
interior, only 121000 km.
1992 OLDS 98 ELITE - Fully loaded, 4 dr, V6, keyless
entry, power seats, spotless, full size luxury, blue metallic,
125000 km.
1991 OLDS CIERA SL • Fully loaded, V6, auto, air,
4 door, maroon, only 144000 km.
1989 CHRYSLER DYNASTY LE - Fully loaded, 4 dr.
V6, like new condibon Burgundy.
F1990 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD - Economical front wheel drive
• complete with leather, excellent condition, med. charcoal grey,
: lots of car, little mbney. 1 year warranty incl.
. ........................................................................... ................. .
’14,950
’11,450
Only ’6,450
‘9,950
‘7,450
■’11,950
‘9,950
‘9,950
‘8,950
’4,950
’7,450
1.9% Financing
4X4, Blazer,
Venture Van, Cavalier
1999 VENTURE VAN • Fully loaded, 4 dr., white, keyless entry, roof
rack, cass., only 23000 km. Balance of lactory warranty.
1997 SAFARI EXTENDED-43 Vortec V6,
8 passenger, only 93,000 km, I owner, deep blue
1997 CHEV ASTRO EXTENDED ALL WHEEL DRIVE -
Fully loaded, 1 owner, royal blue, 115000 km.
1997 FORD F150 SUPERCAB -3 dr., V8, auto, cass.,
factory running boards. Only 79000 km. One owner. Green.
1996 CHEV SILVERADO 4x4 • Short box, fully loaded,
350 Vortec, spotless deep red, box rails. Only 78000 km.
1995 CHEV ASTRO EXT. - Fully loaded, 4.3 Vortec V6,
8 pass., dark red, fberglass boards, like new condibon. f
1995 CHEV BLAZER 4X4 - Fully loaded 4 dr, vortec,
V6. power seat, positracbon, premium stereo, silver/black, 99,000 km.
1994GMCSLE V^^i, 2 lone maroon/srlver.
1 owner, only 84000 l^jwJ ■*
1994 CHEV SILVERADO % TON 4X4 ■ 6 5 turbo diesel.
loaded. 2 tone brown, beige, lulty loaded, auto.. air
1993 AEROSTAR XL EXTENDED - Fully loaded, 4.0L, V6,
spotless silver, p.w., p.d.l., cruise, tilt, cass., only 157000 km
$44 OEA 1993CHEV PICK UP- 4.3 L V6,5 speed, AM/FM cassette, teal blue, 11,3 v low kms., boxhner & rear sliding window.
1992 CHEV SILVERADO-Fully loaded, V8, auto,high km59 950 tot in excellent cond, 2 tone silver/blue.’ 1992 ASTRO CL EXTENDED • 4.3. V6, like new, dark red,
4 capl. chairs, 7 pass., fully loaded, 166000 km.
1992 GMC SLT EXTENDED VAN ■ Fully loaded, 4 3, ve, 7 pass,
dark blue/silver, excellent condition.
1990 GMC SLE 3/4 TON • Red, V8, auto, good condibon
Only 173000 km.
1988 CHEV SILVERADO 4X4 ■ V8, auto, crurse, tut. p.w,
p.l, dark garnet, 173000 km.
1988 CHEV SILVERADO • V8, auto, 2 lone recVsifver, looks
and drives like new, high km, warranted
’21,950
’15,950
’17,950
’16,950
’19,950
Reduced to $11,950
$8,450
Reduced to $1 0,950
All certified cars & trucks include a minimum of
7 months/11000 km warranty includes roadside assistance
Oldsmobile
No Drip Oil Coating ’59“
Collision & Body Shop Service
Windshield Replacements
’17,950
’13,450
’16,950
’7,450
’8,950
’8,450
’8,950
’7,950
’6,950
‘7,950
’5,950
<0
£»
CD
X
o
□
(D
0 r*
■0
CD
O
Q
X
o
2
O
0
TH
o
o
0
cn
□
o
CD
j.l. McCutcheon
Downtown BRUSSELS 887-6856 OR 1-888-351-9193 CM’'"'OLET
<0
<0