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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-11-01, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1,2000. Right wiper a good start to driving defensively It’s bad enough that your wind­ shield washer fluid is freezing on your windshield, now the wipers are only moving the dirt around. What can you do? It starts with choosing the right wiper blades. Hardly any­ body thinks about the wiper blades - after all, they won’t cost you big bucks at the service outlet. Well, they might cost you big bucks at the body shop. Defen­ sive driving instructors will tell you that vision of the road and the traffic around you is your most potent defence against collisions. Keeping a clean windshield is a good start. Just as there is seasonal wind­ shield washer fluid, there are season­ al and high performance wiper blades. Car Care Canada recom­ mends switching blades every six months, in the fall and in the spring. Winter wiper blades are typically well-protected against ice and snow build up so that the rubber wiping blade remains flat on the windshield. The rubber used has better cold weather performance, too. Living in a fine climate is no guar­ antee against wiper blade deteriora­ tion - even sunlight can cause the rubber to age and crack in a relative­ ly short time. That’s also why it’s important to remember to change your wiper blades in the fall, after the long, hot summer. Common problems to watch out for: • cracked or split rubber - usually caused by ultraviolet rays or overly aggressive ice removal • pitted, scarred, or discoloured rubber - usually caused by salt removing chemicals • tom rubber - where the rubber blade has pulled away from the arm and is slipping out or slapping against the glass. • chattering or squeaking sound as the blades work - usually caused by blades warped through infre­ quent use or exposure to strong sunlight - the blades take on a per­ manent curvature, instead of con­ forming to your windshield. • worn rubber - old blades will exhibit rounded or ragged edges, which will not clean properly • windshield streaking - can result from tree sap or road tar on the blades, from cracked, inflexible rubber, or from blades clogged with snow or ice. So how do you get the best per­ formance from your windshield wipers? First, clean off the whole windshield - don’t try to look through a porthole. Gently remove ice from around the wiper blade, and make sure the arm can move freely. Clean the snow off the hood too - otherwise, it will wind up in your face as soon as you drive away. Before your car has come up to oper­ ating temperature, your ability to melt that snow on the windshield is limited, and it will likely smear. The same holds true for the roof of your car or van - that snow will wind up all over your rear window, and cause difficulty with your rear window wiper (if you have one). Have you ever had the experience of driving away with a clear view of the road, only to have your wind­ shield fog over instantly? That’s usu­ ally the result of snow being drawn in through the defrost system. This is less likely to happen if you clean out your air intake on the hood. Keep vjot/ir car Smoothly Make sure your vehicles are ready for winter driving Call 887-9055 for your appointment today ♦ Fall & Winter Tune-ups ♦ Brake Maintenance ♦ Oil Changes ♦ Heating system service ♦ Motor Vehicle Inspections Where the customer is always #/ WALTON AUTO & SMALL ENGINE REPAIR SERVICE 809 Turnberry St., Brussels (519) 887-9055 Cheeking tires, wheel alignment can reduce maintenance costs Estimates suggest that the average cost of maintaining a vehicle may be around $700, depending on the age of your vehicle. Proper maintenance of tires and wheel alignment is an easy way to reduce the costs of maintaining and operating your vehi­ cle, and making sure you don’t have to spend more than you need to. 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. Cost- conscious motorists should check tire inflation often. Checking tire inflation can easily be done with a personal tire gauge, which are avail­ able in most automotive stores for less than $10. Owners also should check tires for abnormal wear when vehicles are on lifts for service. More fuel is consumed as a result of incorrect alignment, which can result in at least a two per cent tank­ ful energy loss and reducing tire life. 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 curves are indications of problems which need correcting. 2. Another is vibration or the slight­ est shimmy. When vehicles are on the hoist, they should be checked for front end and steering looseness, and shock absorber/strut leakage. A good auto­ motive service technician, with the help of today’s sophisticated diag­ nostic equipment can determine the corrective measures needed for steering and suspension systems; or advise that ball joints, steering, link­ age and shock absorbers/struts still are dependable, but wearing to the point where replacement would be advisable in the near future. If parts replacement is recom­ mended, don’t postpone it or take shortcuts in quality of parts, extent of service and cut-rate estimates. Insufficient service to save a few dollars now can mean much higher future repair bills down the road. Careful attention to steering, sus­ pension and tires are among the major considerations to keep vehicle maintenance cost low. • Windshield Replacement & Repair • Door and Rear Sliders • ALL WORK GUARANTEED DUBLIN 1-800-300-9144 345-2432 Tips for a great lease FALL MAINTENANCE PACKAGE Buying vs. leasing. • Follow all of the steps in “Check list to a good car buy” first. Then follow all of the steps below. • Insist on a Closed-end lease. With a closed-end lease, commonly known as a walk-away lease, the lessee/consumer has the option to give the vehicle back to the original dealer, buy it or close a deal on another vehicle. With a closed-end lease you don’t guarantee the buy­ back value of the car, the leasing company does! Kilometre Allowance • Do not underestimate how many kilometres you drive per year and have the dealer build in the proper amount. Should you exceed the allowable kilometres upon return of the expired lease, an over kilometre charge will apply. The per kilome­ tre charges range from six cents to a high of up to twenty cents. The penalty amounts depend on the leasing company and the type and class of vehicle. Short-Term Commitment •Take the shortest lease term that you can afford. Not only will a short term lease keep your commit­ ment to a minimum, it will also increase the chances of your vehicle remaining covered under warranty for the entire term. Lease New or Used • Leasing a new car will give you a great selection, but a good one or two-year-old car leased for only two or three years can save you quite a bit of money. Taking over a lease can also save you money. Money Down • Putting money down may give you a low monthly payment, but it doesn’t save you much in the long run, especially with many of the low interest lease plans that are cur­ rently available. • Invest your money in RRSPs, or pay down other debt, this will give you a much better return on your investment. For further information on how leasing works, go to “Taking the mystery out of leasing” at www.car- costcanada.com - News Canada UNIROYAL TIGER PAW ASC P195/70R14 s70“ s13555 One Tire Fits most ’95-’98 Achievas and Grand Ams ONE-TWO TIRE EVENT UNIROYAL TIGER PAW ASC P185/75R14 $6495 $12495 One Tire Fits most ’90-’94 Sunbirds and Cavaliers Two Tires IWo Tires These prices include installation, balancing, stems, 4 year road hazard protection, an 80,000 km treadwear warranty and lifetime inspection and rotation every 10,000 km STL® Maclean'sWK DEALER OFE EXIKE KJ© ©©D® (All Makes) By Appointment CARS $49.95 Trucks $59.95 JOHN CULLEN CHEV OLDS 115 Josephine St., Wingham 357-2323 Open: Monday to Friday 8-5; Saturday 9-1