The Citizen, 1991-10-16, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1991. PAGE 15.
Tips to tote for year-round car travel
Fall travel can be an exciting
family experience if the correct
precautions are taken before the
trip. Obvious things like getting the
car in shape and planning activities
for the children, as well as knowing
where to turn in case of an emer
gency, are important to minimize
the headaches and maximize the
pleasure of your trip.
One of the first things to investi-
gate is your car's maintenance. This
is the time to get an oil change, if
needed, and check the cooling sys
tem hoses and connections for
leaks and weak spots. Make sure to
bring an emergency kit that
includes flares, jumper cables,
tools, a flashlight, a distress sign
(many are on the back of cardboard
windshield shades), and a first aid
kit. While driving, keep constant
Maintenance helps cars reach 100,000 miles
Jerry Glass, Des Moines, Iowa; and
Maurice Beaver, Wilmot, S.D.
learned through experience that
proper driving practices and fre
quent oil changes are simple, effec
tive ways to increase engine life.
They were inducted into the
exclusive TropArtic 100,000 Mile
Club, which was established by
Phillips 66 to document the accom
plishments of car owners using
TropArtic motor oil. The club is
designed to help pass along valu-
A properly maintained car engine
gives you more miles per gallon,
allows you to keep your car longer,
eliminates some major repair bills,
and makes your car worth more
when you sell it, according to three
members of the Phillips 66
TropArtic 100,000 Mile Club.
Collectively, these club members
have driven their three primary
vehicles almost 600,000 miles over
an average of 14 years.
Bruce Birkeland, Faith, S.D.;
Winterize your car in the fall
Cold winter mornings are not
only rough on you - they are even
worse on your car. Every year, up
to 25 per cent of all vehicles have
wintertime starting problems.
When winter temperatures go
below 32 degrees, car batteries
have 15 per cent less starting power
than in 80 degree weather. So the
best way to ensure safe winter driv
ing is to check your car before the
cold weather sets in.
•Have your battery checked by a
professional. The worst thing in
winter is being stranded on the
roadway with a dea’d battery.
•Check tires for uneven tread
wear. If they are uneven, check the
car's alignment and have it adjust
ed. If you don't have snow tires,
make sure there is plenty of tread
on the existing tires.
•Flush out the cooling system and
replace with anti-freeze.
•Check the condition of all belts
and hoses. The cold temperature
causes hoses to dry and crack.
Replace any hoses or belts that
seem brittle.
•Check windshield wiper blades
and fill the washer fluid reservoir.
•Keep gas tank full as often as
possible. On occasion, add dry gas
to rid the tank of excess moisture.
able maintenance information
other car owners.
COST-EFFECTIVE
MAINTENANCE
Over the last 20 years, South
Dakota resident Bruce Birkeland
has honed his maintenance program
for his 1971 Pontiac Catalina, so
that it costs only pennies per mile
to drive.
“If you drive your car 10,000
miles in a year and you spend $300
on maintenance, your maintenance
cost per mile is 3 cents,” Birkeland
explains. “In the case of my Pon
tiac, I have driven 200,000 miles in
20 years and I've spent $200 a year
on maintenance. That means I've
driven my car for two decades at a
maintenance cost of only 2 cents
per mile.”
His successful maintenance pro
gram for his Pontiac includes regu
lar oil changes every 2,500 miles
with TropArtic 10W-40.
Birkeland also stresses the
importance of proper driving
habits, such as avoiding idling the
engine (wastes fuel and can hinder
proper lubrication in cold weather)
and short drives (stop-and-go driv
ing can build up sludge in the
to engine). Drive the car at low speed
until it has been driven about three
miles, to allow engine temperatures
to rise and get oil flowing freely.
In addition, Birkeland owns a
1981 Chevrolet Caprice with a 5.7
diesel engine that has covered close
to 190,000 miles.
He uses Phillips 66 Super HD II
in the Caprice, which is specially
recommended for diesel passenger
vehicles because it provides good
viscosity, minimum wear and less
engine deposits.
According to Brikeland, oil is the
cheapest yet most cost-effective
element of his maintenance pro
gram. “I've saved a lot of money
by investing in maintenance and
using TropArtic motor oil,” he
says. “I've accumulated almost
400,000 miles on the two cars,
without any major repairs.
tabs on lire pressure and fluid lev
els and be on the lookout for any
thing unusual in the engine's
performance or in the steering or
brakes.
One thing in fall travel you'll
have to deal with is boredom. One
cure is to bring along your chil
dren's favourite toys and give them
out one at a time throughout the
duration of the trip. If travelling to
a warm climate, consider sun pro
tection; window shades are an
important safety and comfort fea
ture for the back seats where the
children sit. Also, remember to
bring plenty of beverages and nutri
tious snacks such as fruit or vegeta
bles to tide the little ones over until
mealtime.
If you know the roadways will be
busy, leave yourself plenty of extra
time to get where you're going in
case there is traffic. Also make sure
to lake plenty of rest stops to keep
alert, and chart your route carefully
if you are not familiar with it.
Travelling can be a pleasure if
planned correctly and nothing is
left to chance. Take the precautions
you need to ensure a safe and com
fortable trip for your precious
cargo.
LISTOWEL CAR CITY • LISTOWEL CAR CITY • LISTOWEL CAR CITY
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