Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-11-11, Page 28Page 12A Times-Advccate, November 11, 1987 Owning automobiles expensive proposition With uncertain fuel prices, own- ing and operating an automobile is an expensive proposition. It is im- portant to keep fuel efficiency in mind when buying,a new car, but it isn't too late to save money on the car you already own, with the help of a few tips for efficient fuel use. The easiest way to save is by driving only when it is necessary. Use other available options like walking, biking, and public trans- portation systems. Or make a tele- phone call instead. Ride[sharing on trips to work is also a good way to save energy and money. When you do use your car, try to combine a number of short errands on chores into one trip. It is esti- mated that we use 30 percent of our gasoline on trips of Tess than 8 km. These short ventures consume ex- cess fuel because the car's engine is not waren for much of the trip. Avoid jumpy starts, because more fuel is used and the tires wear out more quickly. Sharp jabs on the gas pedal activate the accelerator pump, which supplies extra fuel to thc en- gine. Never rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving, however light- ly; this could put needless resistance on the wheels. If you are waiting for someone, or are caught in a traf- fic jam, turn off the motor. Idling gives you zero fuel economy. Remove roof racks when they are not needed because they increase wind resistance significantly. Also, close yobr windows on the high- way; open windows add to aerody- namic drag and raise fuel consump- tion. Fill your gas tank only to thc first "click', when the pump shuts itself off. Never top up the tank be- cause the fuel -might expand in warm weather and overflow thc tank. Try to decrease your speed on the highway - tests show that most cars use 20 percent less fuel when driven at 90 km/h than they do at 110 km/ h. Allow plenty of time to rcach your destination. Driving to beat the clock forces you to speed, brake sharply, accelerate too rapidly and generally waste fuel and put strain on the car. In the winter, drivers have to be even more careful if they want to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles. For example, at -12 dc - grecs C the average engine needs at least 15 km of driving to warm up fully, so it is even more important to eliminate short trips from your driving pattern. It is not necessary to let your en- gine idle for a long period when starting in the winter, 30 seconds is all the car generally needs. It will warm best as it driven, but be care- ful to accelerate smoothly. Watching the traffic well ahead of you and driving defensively, wheth- er in winter or summer, is one of the best ways to save fuel. This a1= lows you to travel at a consistent speed and avoid braking too often. If you arc travelling on a hilly road, allow the vehicle to slow down as you climb the hill, and speed up to the legal limit when descending. In other words, maintain even accelera- tor pressure. Professional truckers call this 'road management'. Regular engine tuning is vital if you want to get the most for your energy dollar. Tuning should be done every four months, but a fall and spring tuncup arc most impor- tant to get your engine ready for drastic temperature changes. This can cut fuel consumption by 10 percent. Tire pressure should be checked every week in the winter because temperature changes affect the pres- sure, and underinflated tires adverse- ly affect fuel consumption. If your tire pressures arc 20 kPa or 3 psi softer than the manufacturer recom- mends, you arc using about 1.5 per- cent more fuel than necessary. And remember to check the tires when they arc cold.' Snow tires running on dry pave- ment cause your car to consume 4 percent more fuel than when you are using summer tires.. So snow tires should be removed as early in the spring as possible. Radial tires have a well- documented potential for a 5 percent or better improvement in fuel econ- omy over bias ply tires. P -Metric tires represent the state of the art in tires engineered for fuel economy. These tires are lighter, operate at Higher pressures for the same load and offer Tess resistance when rol- ling. An air conditioner ads weight to your car and can reduce fuel econo- my by as much as 6 percent in a small car. When in use, it can in- crease fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent in hot -weather stop - and -go driving. Car costs can be cut dramatically. Organize yourself to take advantage of alternatives likc walking or bik- ing, and try to allow for those min- utes of extra car care that will save you money. CANCER CAN BE BEATEN CANCER CANADIENNE SOCIETY DU cnrxr !Il' EX 4iU CAR CARE A DIVISION OF EXETER HONDA Hwy .1 Just Srnath of 1 ,a take Have your car professionally reconditioned by a professional reconditioner. You'll be glad you did. Although Exeter Car Care is o new service, Gord Hay is no stronger to car care in this oreo. His reputation for making your car's exterior and interior look like new and our new. convenient facilities are two good reosons you should bring your car to us. Driving is more fun when your car looks good. so why wait. let Gord put the fun back in driving. Specializing In PROTEK 40 Our continuous paint protoction CORROSION CONTROL With ourautomatic • rust provontativos MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GORD TODAY Call 635.1081 d MOTORISTS CAN SAVE MONEY ON SELF -SERVE GAS BUT LOSE IT THROUGH NEGLIGEE . 30% OF ALL ` - DRIVERS SERIOUSLY NEGLECT AR CHECKS AND MAINTENANCE. FUEL AND IGNITION SYSTEMS SUFFER WORST, BOTH AFFECT GAS MILEAGE. 00 S A IF YOUIRE A " PUMP-IT-YOUR- SEL.FER BUT NOTA CHECK -IT - YOURSELF ER GAS UP AT THE FULL SERVICE PUMPS OCCASIONALLY AND ASK FOR A CHECK-UP. Carbon monoxide unseen killer While automobile engines are running cleaner and exhaust emis- sions have been reduced significant- ly, one unseen killer around every running engine iS carbon monoxide, warns the Car Care Council. Often a driving danger that is easi- ly. overlooked, carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill an unsuspecting motorist in an idling car or closed garage in a mat- ter of minutes if the fumes aren't ventilated properly. Two recent accidents attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning, one in- volving a father and son and the other a 19 year old youth, illustrate the importance of proper ventilation when an engine is running, particu- larly in a closed area. Tragic consequences The father and son spent the night in their stranded auto after.it became stuck in a ditch. Periodically start- ing the car to stay warm, the pair died after exhaust fumes entered through holes in tate floor. Police added that due to the calm night with no wind, the fumes couldn't disperse and stayed close to the car. Carbon monoxide poisoning was also blamed in the death of a 19 year old youth who was working in a closed garage with the motor run- ning. Exhaust fumes became trapped in the garage after he closed the door because of cold weather. He died within five minutes. The Car Care Council advised motorists that a safety check-up should include an inspection of the exhaust system for leaks and the flatteries are not understood Among the most important and least understood parts of today's modern automobile is the battery. Technically, a storage battery is an electro -chemical device. In the pro- cess of releasing electrical energy to your car, the battery produces hydro- gen gas: highly explosive. This is why motorists are urged to heed these battery safety tips from Car Care Council: - 1) No smoking near a battery. 2) Keep your face away from the battery. Wear safety goggles. 3) Avoid sparks. When connect- ing booster cables cover both batter- ies with a cloth. Be sure the final ground (negative) connection is made to the frame of the stalled car, as far as possible from the battery. 4) Be careful with tools. A wrench or pliers that contacts a "hot" terminal or wire and a ground- ed part of the car can create a spark strong enough to burn metal. • 5) When carrying a battery, use a good carrying device. Spilled battery acid can cat into your clothing...and your skin... very qui. If you do get some acid on you, ush it off at once with water. floor for holes. If your exhaust sys- tem leaks, replace it. If the floor has rusted through and there are holes, repair it. Fresh air supply essential An idling car can also be a killer. Never leave the car running in a closed arca where the exhaust fumes can't escape. If you must sit in a parked car that is idling, always crack the window open to ensure a fresh air supply. Make sure heater works properly With the cold weather months ahead, now is the time to make sure your heater is working properly. A car's heating system is much like the engine's cooling system. In addition to the duct work, the basic elements of any car heating system are: 1) The heater core which is in essence a miniature radiator, and 2) two hoses, one of which transports hot coolant to the heater core in the passenger compartment, while the second hose returns this coolant to the engine. To help familiarize you with some possible heating system prob- lems, The Gates Rubber Company has developed this troubleshooting guide. When your car heater is not pro- ducing enough heat, any of the fol- lowing may be the cause: 1. The flow of air under the dash may be blocked. 2. Coolant level in the radiator may be low. 3. Heater hoses may be leaking. If a leak is the problem, the hose must be replaced. 4. Hoses may be bent or kinked, thereby restricting the flow of cool- ant. 5. If the car's heater hoses have recently been removed, they may not have been properly reconnected. 6. Air may be trapped in the sys- tem. This also would restrict the coolant. The solution to this is to bleed the system. 7. The blower motor may not be properly working. This could be caused by a blown fuse, a faulty blower resistor, a bad blower motor switch, a loose connection or a burned -out motor. 8. The cooling system may be stuck in the open position. When this happens, the coolant will not heat up properly. And, if the cool- ant is too cold, heat output will be insufficient. The thermostat should be removed, tested, and replaced if necessary. 9. Doors to the heater assembly may be stuck. 10. Heater core may be clogged. If this is the case, the core should be removed from the car and cleaned out. If the problem still exists, the heater core should be replaced. 11. Watcr pump belt may be worn and need replacing. If the pump belt has become loose due to wear, it will not drive the water pump efficiently. This, in turn, means that the cooling system will not operate efficiently. It's a good idea to have your car's heating system checked out as part of the "winterizing" which should be performcat hefore cold weather hits. Con.._ preventive maintenance ca. ap avoid heating problems which always seem to oc- cur at the most inconvenient times. Tire problems are different Sometimes it's easy to spot car problems such as an oil leak or a weak battery. However, iire problems are differ- ent. These days you can't kick a tire to see if the air pressure is right, and it's impossible to check inflation just by looking at a tire. The reasonfor this is because to- day's tires, especially radials, often look as though they are under- inflated, when they are not. Improperly inflated tires can be hazardous because it is the air pres- sure in a tiro that carries the Toad of the vehicle. To be sure the air pressure in your tires is correct, consult the car own- er's manual and check the inflation every few weeks. I don't want to tell you how much in- surance I carry with Prudential - but when 1 go. they go. - Education 111: That which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding. miles ford sole: ENGINE \ TUNE-UP SPECIAL $23;95 $29,;95 $39;95 *Prices include Labour only, Parts extra. 10% Discount. Non -Electronic Ignition 510.00 Fall & Winter Specials (OIL FILTER\ SPECIAL. We'II change your engine oil (up to 5 litres), install a new oil filter and inspect all levels. Price includes labour. X118.95N. SHOCK ABSORBER SPECIAL ave wear and tear n expensive front nd parts, as well as tires. For that extra, smooth ride, buy Motorcraft Suretrackers. $59,.,95 *Most Cars & Light Trucks Offer Ends December 31, 1987* Call Call 235-0121 235-0121 `V, iila1 volt 1 kc to buy a -more recent model! BRAKE SPECIAL •Mod Pustnqu Cars b ugh' Trude FRONT Install new Disc Pads, Resurface both Rotors, . Repack front Bearings, Inspect all other Components $79.95 REAR Install new Brake Shoes, Resurface both Rear Drums, Install Spring Kits it necessary, Inspect all other Components. Any additional parts and labour required will be quoted before work is started. $69• 95 "1'11 Fix It Right Or P11 Fix It FREE. 9! Other dealerships may offer you promises of good service, but my repairs are backed by our FREE lifetime Service Guarantee. Here's how it works. If we repair your Ford -built car, or light truck, you pay us once. And I $tuarantee that if that covered part ever fails or wears out, 111 fix it or replace it FREE. FREE parts, FREE lar. It covers thousands of repairs and lasts as long as you own your a no matter where you bought it or how old it is. So don't settle for emp promises when you can come to us and get our FREE Lifetime Service Guarantee. You won't find a better repair guarantee anywhere. Promise. Thin limited warranty c cr% yehielea in normal use. and excludes routine maintenance parts. belta..ho'ea sheet metal and upholstery. "(Wes, of Smiles" from miles ford sales South Main St, Exeter We Fix Cars For Keepsl 9eaSuhAF- 235-0121 Service Open MonF X00Oa.. p.m. • 5 p.m. Sales Man -Thur I100 a.m. • 410O p.m. fri-Sat 1100 a.m. • 5 p.m.