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
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Specializing In
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MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH GORD TODAY
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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
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once. And I $tuarantee that if that covered part ever fails or wears out,
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where you bought it or how old it is. So don't settle for emp promises
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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.