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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-10-28, Page 12Pago 12 Times -Advocate, October 28, 1992 FALL CAR CARE Cars... the true second home "Home is where the heart is'\ the saYing 80es, But home also is where the car is. People often call the places they frequent - their office, classroom, or the house of a relative or friend - their "home away from home." For those who don't, own an automo- bile, this may be true; but those who own a car also own a second home. From hone to car It is difficult to leave habits from home inside of the house; they seem to follow people directly to the stationwagon, hatchback, van, jeep etc., and sometimes remain there. How many times have women been seen driving along the high- way, steering wheel in one hand, compact in the other? Or men smoking, drinking coffee, reading the newspaper and driving simulta- neously? People can't wash their hair in the car, but they manage to comb, brush, spritz, or even hot curl it (is possible with a battery-operated, portable curling iron). Hamburger in onehand... Food can't be cooked in a car, but breakfast, lunch and, dinner - and snacks - frequently appear, and sometimes are eaten on plates and glasses fit for a fancy dining mom table. Minor inconveniences, such as the lack of running water, is by no means a deterrent. One woman was spotted on a thoroughway brushing her- teeth while driving at about 60 miles per hour in rush hour traffic, rinsing with a cupful of unidentifia- ble liquid, and using the pavement outside as a sink. Pertonal hygiene on the road No time to shave? Not for two men seen driving a minivan on a road. Shaving cream and all - they make do. Many people are absolutely shameless - their car is an impor- tant part of their lives and they will do in it whatever come naturally, such as changing their baby's di- aper or, in some cases, changing in and out of their own clothes. Business often is conducted while driving, homework is done, speeches are written, notes jotted, and reports and memos are re- viewed. And if you have ever seen a person driving with hand to mouth while speaking - he or she may be recording something on a minicassette - or just talking to him or herself. Why wait to be at home to enjoy the luxuries in life? People who own cars can equip them with tele- visions, CD players, magazines and car phones. Kids and cars For children, the car can be a place of excitement and joy - they can play portable games designed for travelling, have sing-alongs and make periodic •pttstops at 'parks, playgrounds and tourist spots. There are times, however, when the automobile can be a place where a child is unable to escape discipline. There are no closets, basements or bedrooms in which to hide, no walking away in a huff - and in a car, tuning out is nearly impossible. Punishments are twice as un- pleasant when stuck m a moving vehicle, because there is no escape. Many a child has been seen in the back seat of a car crying tears of frustration and embarrassment, probably intensified by the audi- ence of curious onlookers in the cars nearby. Catching some zzz's Cars are great sleep inducers - sometimes a leisurely car ride is more enticing than your own bed, proven by those who have been seen snoozing across the back seat. The owners of mobile homes are truly privileged people - what they have is a house on wheels, plus the option to move - at anytime - to the mountains or to a warmer climate, to a farm, or perhaps to an area with a view of the ocean. But for people whose homes are forever stationary, the key to a sec- ond home is the one that starts the ignition. Maintenance for your motorcycle Preparing a motorcycle for winter involves a lot more than clearing a space in the garage. Motorcyclists who invest a small amount of time in the fall will save a great deal of time - and money - in the spring. Pre- ventive ro-ventive maintenance each fall can greatly reduce the possibili- ty of costly spring repairs and can add years io the life of a motorcycle. To prepare your motorcycle for its winter hibernation, follow these easy, do-it-yourself sug- gestions. • To preserve your fuel sys- tem, fill your gas tank, add a fuel stabilizer and run the en- gine for a few minutes to get the treated gas throughout the fuel system. • Because the fuel in the tank is highly combustible, it is ad- visable not to store a motorcycle in the home. However, if you must store it in your home or in an are exposed to open flames (pilot lights, sparks or electric motors), empty the fuel system by draining the gas tank and running the engine until it stops. • Coat the inside of the carbu- retor with light oil and spray the inside of the gas tank with rust preventive. This will help pre- vent corrosion and possible en- gine damage. • Remove the spark plugs, in- ject a few squirts of engine oil into each cylinder and crank the engine five or six revolutions. Re -install spark plugs. • Fill oil to the proper level before storing your machine. On motorcycles with remote oil tanks, remove the oil line lead- ing from the bottom of the tank. to the feed fitting on the oil pump, and plug the line at the bottom. Don't forget to recon- nect the line next spring. • Adjust the chains and lubri- cate to prevent rust over the winter. • Remove the battery and store in a cool area, above 32 Fahrenheit, but don't expose it to direct sunlight or moisture. Give it a slow charge about once a month while it is in stor- age. • Thoroughly clean , dry and polish the motorcycle. Difficult maintenance and re- pair should be left to trained professionals. In fact, many rid- ers cause very expensive - or in- jury threatening - damage while attempting complicated repairs themselves, when in doubt, leave it to the pros. Preparation is key to handling car emergencies The best way to handle any emerg ency is to plan in advance. Roadside emer- gencies are no exception. Unfortu- nately, many people are caught un- prepared when they experience car trouble. For example, have you ever been stranded with a flat tire and not known how to change it? Or had a dead hammy, but no jumper cable? Another common example of be- ing unprepared will also sound fa- miliar to most motorists: While al- most everyone has a flashlight at home to use during power failures or while making repairs, many people have not considered the im- portance of keeping a reliable re- chargeable flashlight in the car in case of nighttime automotive emergencies. A rechargeable flashlight is a helpful tool when changing a tire or checking under the hood after dark. And a rechargeable flashlight can be used to protect your safety in two key ways; Warning traffic away from your car if your lights are not working, - and increasing your visibility - while lighting your way - if you have to walk along a dark road. The safety experts encourage every driver to keep a rechargeable light in the car for unexpected roadside situations. For emergency use, rechargeable flashlights arc more reliable than ordinary flash- lights because they cut down the worry about dead batteries. Two good rechargeables to try are the First Alert's FL18 Car/Home Re- chargeable Flashlight and the RL102 Ready Life® lantern. Both can hold a useable charge for up to one year after a complete recharge, and can be recharged in any stan- dard household outlet. And lead acid batteries (PB/acid), such as those in First Alert charge longer than nickel cadium (NiCd) units. PB/acid batteries are the same as those used to start your car. They can operate in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Another common car emergency which most motorists arc unpre- pared for is an automobile fire. Ac- cording to the National Fire Preven- tion Association's most recent estimates, there are more than 40,000 motor vehicle fires annually - that's nearly' 20 percent of all re- ported Tues. As a result, cars also should be equipped with a fire extinguisher for maximum safety. One fine extin- guisher designed especially for auto- motive use is First Alerts FESA5 auto fire extinguisher, which is per- fect for storing in the trunk or under the seat. The compact unit fights grease, oil and electrical fires, and comes with a unique bracket that provides protection from -accidental discharge. Whatever the emergency, motor- ists will find everything they need to be prepared in a special Car Safety Kit now available from First Alen for a limited time. The kit includes jumper cables, two safety flares, a help flag, a can of tire inflater, a gas siphon hose, a mini fist aid kit, and a 32 -page emergency road hand- book. S Straight Line L Collision Don't forget to lubricate your door locks and handles from the inside. It's just a little prevention so you don't get locked out of your own car in the cold of winter. Apply a generous amount of vaseline to your door and trunk rubbers to prevent sticking. We'd like the opportunity to gain your confidence 4 miles South of Exeter on *4 Hwy. 228-6114 D Sluokiess The misunderstood lubricant Automotive grease is one of the least known and most misunderstood of all lubricants. Most consu- mers are unaware of the importance of using grease to reduce wear caused by friction -on vehicle parts, such as disc brake wheel bearings, universal joints and the chassis. The following questions are asked most often of service station managers. The answers were prepared by lubricant experts. Q: What is the general comrposition of automotive grease? A. Automotive grease consists of -a lluid'lubricant, such as petroleum oil, dispersed in a thickener, such as lithium soap. It also contains additives to improve lubricity. The thickener serves to keep the lubricant and additives in contact with the surface subject to friction. Q: How does grease perform? A: The fluid lubricant is gradually released from the thickener. The grease provides a tough, long- lasting film, excellent extreme pressure properties and good resistance to water washout for vehicle lam. Q: How are automotive greases classified? A: By relative hardness. The National Lubricat- ing Grease Institute assigns consistency numbers ranging from 000 (semi -fluid) to 6 (hard). The consistency of a grease is an important factor inns ability to lubricate, seal and remain in place, and to the methods and ease by which it can be dis- pensed and applied. Most automotive greases are in the NLGI no. 2 range, ranging from soft to me- dium consistency. Q: What is an EP lubricant? A: EP is the Commonly used abbreviation for ex- treme pressure in lubricant terminology. Extreme pressure lubricants, including greases, contain ad- ditives to improve their ability to adhere to the sur- face of metals under high bearing pressure. Q: How often should 1 grease my car? A: The answers varies, depending on automobile models and manufacturers. For example, Chrysler suggests every 12 months or 7,500 miles and Ford opts for every 15,000 miles. The proper answer is found in the owner's manual for the car. 1 Rust quickly finds weak spots You've just bought a new car. So you won't need to worry about rust for a couple of years yet, right? Wrong. A car may, on its outer metal surfaces, show no visible signs of rust for as many as three years. And these interior, hidden areas of the automobile, are not protect- ed by the manufacturer's corrosion warranties. Although manufacturers have made many design changes and improvements in factory corrosion processes, rust will quickly find a vehicle's weak spots. Overlapping seams are the most vulnerable to rust, and so are dis- similar metals, spot welds, several bends and areas that are exposed to moisture and the elements. One of the chief causes of rust is salt- the more than 11 million tons that will be dumped on roads in Canada and the United States this winter, according to a report by the Salt Institute. Salt is one of the cheapest and most abundant chemicals in the world, but it is also one of the most corrosive In fact, even long after winter snows are gone, dormant deposits of road salt on a vehicle resume the corrosive effect when hit by spring rains or even when water is splashed up from a wet road. Nor does a dry summer give you car a break. An even more powerful corrosive - calcium chloride - is commonly used to control dust on dirt roads And an increasingly worsening environment - from year-round salt -laden mist and high humidity in coastal regions to corrosive acid rain in industrialized area -also con- tributes to the rust problem. PARTS [or 586 Main St., Exeter Winter Service Specials SERVICE The expert choice. PROTECT YOUR BODY WiTH ‘7"'" with TEFLON` TOUGHGUARD The sole purpose of Toughguard Basecoat with teflon is to preserve and protect the painted automotive finish. Toughguard is a high quality, high tech productthathas over a decade of goof) history and happy customers. Toughguard is intended to maintain the lustre and provide (long lasting peri- lection that will resist many of the harmful elements that our vehicles are subjected to daily. Call our service department for details Transmission Service Includes new oil and filter, clean screen and oil pan 4995 plus paras No Drip Oil Coating 6995 Flush & Fill Cooling System With new coolant 3995 plus part ;, Wheel Alignment 2 wheel alignment 3995 4 wheel alignment 69y5 (Front wheel drive) Don't Get Left Out in the CoId! hill Call today for your appointment 235-06 ix 4;r• Offer expires Nov. 30/92