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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-10-28, Page 33'Page Proper driving habits stretcha few -more kilometres Energy-efficient driving starts at the car lot: You probably know that proper driving habits and vehicle care can stretch a few more kilometres from a tank of gasoline. , But even careful driving and maintenance won't ease the pain at the gas, pumps if you own a gas guzzler. So, if youare in the market for a new car, think about the cost of gasoline — both now and in the future. Then, before you begin shopping, make sure you know what you want. Don't let a salesman talk you into energy -inefficient extras you don't really need. First of all, buy the lightest car possible for your needs. Remember that weight is one of the most im- portant factors in determin- ing fuel economy. Once you've found a car that will carry all the kids but won't empty your pocketbook, think about engine size. If you plan to tow a trailer across Ontario this summer, you may need an eight - cylinder engine. But a V-8 uses 15 to 20 percent more fuel than a V-6. If at all possi- ble, stick with the smaller size. A four -cylinder engine is even better. Consider buying a car with a diesel engine. Diesel engines are substantially more energy efficient, last longer and usually require less maintenance than gasoline -powered engines. In addition, diesel fuel. In addition, diesel fuel uses less energy to refine than gasoline. If you've chosen a smaller car,, a four -speed manual transmission can bring ,you almost 10 percent better fuel efficiency if driven properly, than an automatic. But if you choose an automomatic transmission because you find ,it easier to drive, pick the one with the Budget for the hidden costs When many of us are con- sidering the purchase of a car,, we fail to budget for one of the biggest hidden ,costs: operating dpenses. It can be an expensive omission, because, for most Cana- dians, driving a car is a ma- jor expense, second only to. food and. housing. Automobile operating ex- penses fall into two categories: variable costs' and fixed costs. Variable costs include:,gas, oil, maintenance antires. Fix- ed costs cover: insurance, licence and registration fees, and. depreciation. Over many of the fixed costs we have little or no con- trol.. They are subject to the vagaries of the economy,in- flation, accident rate and government legislation. Even some of the variable costs, particularly gas and oil are now beyond the con- trol of car owners. One area that the average driver can still exercise con- trol over is maintenance. And even in these metric times, an ounce of preven- tion is worth a pound of cure. The relatively simple pro- cedure of ensuring that tires are inflated to the correct pressure and rotated every few thousand miles can have a remarkable effect both on their life and on the car's gas consumption. But one extremely impor- tant function of most automobiles that is frequent- ly overlooked by car owners, is the cooling systems. It can be a costly omission, with the potential cost of repairs ranging from $150 to $700. A survey of over 1200 cars by the Prestone people show- ed that nearly half required cooling system service because the coolant was no longer doing its job properly, and many systems showed evidence of corrosion. Their findings seem to be borne out by the recent phenomenal expansion of . franchise chains of drive-in radiator repair -replacement specialists. Corrosion particles can set in after as little, as 9,000 miles and can. clog a car's radiator, preventing proper cooling of the engine. Corro- sion particles. build ‘up and reduce the efficiency of the radiator to transfer heat. With the temperature of the burning gases reaching 2760 degrees C (5,000 degrees F) that can spell expensive trouble! .Corrosion can also 'create holes in the water pump and radiator, allowing' -the' coolant to leak away and cause .,the engine temperature to skyrocket. If not properly protected rust and corrosion can at- tack all the metals in your engine.cooling system: steel, cast iron, copper, brass, solder and especially aluminum which is being us- ed in increasing 'amounts in all new cars. A simple and inexpensive prescription for your car can prevent corrosion in the cool- ing system. Top quality com- mercial anti -freeze -coolant, such as Prestone II, contains specially formulated in- hibitors that provide ex- cellent corrosion protection\ for all cooling systems metals. But anti -freeze - coolant is not "permanent" and the inhibitors get used up in. the battle against cor- rosion. Simply draining your car's anti -freeze -coolant once a year is not enough to prevent corrosion. A complete back "Flush and Fill" is required. While most service stations will carry out this pro- cedure, car owners can save money by doing it themselves. -Prestone, for example, offers a Flush and Fill kit for approximately $4 - $5 which enables even the most basic do-it-yourselfer to backflush his cooling system with a garden hose in fifteen minutes. With inflation and the high cost of everything eating into our disposable incomes, it is comforting to know that some basic maintenancecan eliminate - unnecessary automobile repairs. highest number of ranges - this is the most economical. In addition, an over -drive op- tion, which reduces engine speed while maintaining the same highway' speed, will save both fuel and engine wear. Now how about options? Here are some tips to decide which ones are worthwhile. +Power Steering This option is reasonable for full-sized cars, but is usually not necessary for smaller cars. The extra weight and engine power re- quired cost energy. +Tires Radial tires, while slightly more expensive initially, last much longer, and in- crease both fuel efficiency and handling abilities. • +Air Conditioning • This option can increase fuel consumption by as much as five percent during highway driving and even more in the city. Devices are sometimes available which cut off the air conditioning when passing, thus saving some fuel and increasing the power available for passing. +Cruise Control This device helps to main- tain a steady speed, which increases fuel efficiency on long highway trips, +Fuel Flow Meters These devices indicate fuel economy on an in- stantaneous basis and on a cummulative basis i for a trip), so they can be used to help you adjust your driving habits to be more fuel effi- cient. +Block Heater This is a useful option in cold weather because it allows you to start with a semi -warm engine. But use a timer to turn it on an hour or two before you go, don't leave it on all night. +SunRoof Whenever it's open, a sun roof increases wind resistance, reducing fuel economy. These are just examples of the range of choices. You can also buy gadgets to start your car during a cold night, to control windows and to ad- just seats. But keep in mind that all of them cost money, many waste fuel and most are not necessary. For further information, write Energyscope, care of the Ministry of Energy, GMS Box 37, Queen's Park, Toron- to. YOUR COMPLETE NEW &USED PARTS We have one of the largest selection of NEW & USED SNOW TIRES in this area We sell and install re -built and used transmissions RADIATOR If you have radiator problems give us a call, we have a good selection of new and used radiators in stock. . We serve any make or model 24 TOWING SERVICE HOUN L.H. JENKINS AUTO WRECKERS GODERICH RRNO.4 524.2181)