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The Citizen, 1998-03-04, Page 9SHARP DEALS ON QUALITY - CLEAN READY-TO-GO USED CARS Great Savings on These Used Cars & Trucks. Some One Owner Low Mileage. 1996 Taurus GL Station Wagon, loaded 1995 Taurus GL Station Wagon 1994 Buick Century, loaded 1994 Ford Tempo GL - 4 door with air, AM/FM 1993 Olds Delta 88 LS, loaded 1993 GMC Half ton pickup with fiberglass top 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyager LE Van - loaded 1992 Dodge Spirit - 4 dr., loaded 1992 Dodge Grand Caravan LE - loaded 1991 Ford Tempo - auto, air, local, 1 owner 1990 Cavalier - 2 dr., with air, low kms. 1988 Chev Caprice Brougham 4 door, loaded HAMM'S BLYTH PHONE 523-4342 Jeff Cook Licenced Class 'A' Mechanic Box 608, Clinton, ON JC AUTO REPAIR 238 Albert St. (Hwy. #4 N.) CLINTON (519) 482-1143 - Repairs to all makes of cars and trucks. - DAN'S AUTO REPAIR - COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE - COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell RR 3, Blyth, Ont. NOM 1110 (on the Westfield Rd.) DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician 523-4356 CARTER'S WEST END GARAGE AND BODY SHOP EXHAUST AND BRAKE COMPLETE COLLISION REPAIR SPECIALISTS AND PAINTING WHEEL ALIGNMENT & BALANCING TOWING OWNER-OPERATOR HARVEY CARTER 215 HURON ST., BOX 728 PH: (519) 482-9363 CLINTON, ONT. NOM 1 LO FAX (519) 482-3534 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4. 1998. PAGE 9. • a to Tri,C) ttre CAA offers some tips for road safety better fuel efficiency. separate the bands, a tire's road services. There are 1.7 million But how often should you check reinforcing material. A tire various items on your car that may sustaining this kind of damage need attention between service can't be repaired and should be intervals? Here's a list of simple replaced before it fails. checks from CAA Central Ontario. To minimize damage, keep tires On a weekly basis: properly inflated so they don't • Check the engine oil level at collapse when striking a pothole. each fill-up. This is especially • Potholes can bend your wheels, important in older cars that may causing a shimmy or vibration burn or leak oil. that wheel balancing will not cure. • Check the coolant. Hot or cold, And it doesn't take much. If a some coolant should remain in the wheel bends more than 1.5 mm — plastic reservoir. Your owner's about the thickness of a nickel — manual will list filling your car could shake like a instructions. washing machine on spin cycle. • Check tire air pressure. Visually • If your wheel repeatedly strikes inspect the sidewalls and tread a pothole, suspension and steering surface for such things as bulges, components can be damaged, cracks, unusual or uneven tread causing misalignment. Improperly wear or foreign objects. aligned wheels can cause unusual On a monthly basis: tire wear, which drastically • Look for bulges and cracks in reduces the life of the tire. A hoses and cracked or glazed belts. "pulling" to one side or an off- A bulge in a hose signals a weak center steering wheel when spot that may burst. Glazed belts driving straight down the road are signal they may be slipping. sure signs. • Check automatic transmission Tie rods, control arms and struts fluid when the car is in "park" and all affect wheel alignment. They the engine is warm. also can bend. These components • Check the power steering fluid can be adjusted to compensate for wear and tear, but severe damage level and check the pump and hoses for leaks. warrants replacement. • Inspect the battery to be sure the TIP #4. MANAGING ROAD terminals are tight and corrosion- RAGE free. If the battery has filler caps, More and more drivers have remove or ad water as necessary. started acting out their anger when TIP #3. THE PITFALLS OF they get behind the wheel, putting POTHOLES themselves and others around them Cold winter temperatures and at risk. H melting snow always bring a ow can you avoid being the familiar seasonal road hazard: victim of an aggressive driver? Potholes. Most motorists try to While there are no sure techniques, avoid them. CAA Central Ontario suggests you avoid a few specific behaviours But swerving around a pothole is a well-documented cause of that seem unusually likely to collisions, says CAA Central enrage other drivers. Ontario. You can't avoid all 1) Don't cut people off. When potholes, so it's important to know y ou merge, make sure you have what they can do. plenty of room. Use your turn • Severe impact against the sharp signal to show your intentions edge of a pothole can break or before making a move. our engine's life switch drivers, if possible. / Caffeine-type drinks like coffee or cola can help keep you alert but they will only provide a short- lived boost. Stop at a safe place and take a nap. Provide at least 10 minutes of post-nap wake-up time and don't drive until you feel alert. I Avoid driving during the peak drowsy times — from 2 to 5 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sleep deprivation may be the result of lifestyle, illness or a sleep disorder. See your doctor if you're prone to constant sleepiness. accelerates wear due to diluted engine oil. Another actor in oil burning is a malfunctioning positive crank case ventilation (PCV) valve, which is intended to route oil vapours through the combustion chamber rather than permitting them to escape into the atmosphere. If the PCV system is not in proper working order, it can be the cause of oil burning. Remember, excessive oil burning is a condition that gradually worsens and can affect other aspects of the engine. Like so many other car troubles, early detection and correction are essential, and can save you a great deal of money in the long run. Driving fatigued a road hazard TIP #1. A CAR IS NOT AN OFFICE Although cellular phones can be invaluable safety devices, too often they turn into safety hazards by becoming a driving distraction. When you're behind the wheel, make safe driving your first priority by following these tips from CAA Central Ontario: • Familiarize yourself with all the functions and features of your cellular phone before you head out on the road. • Ideally, use a hands-free microphone installed overhead, such as on your visor. For portable phones, have a hands- free unit installed. Make sure the phone is within easy reach and view. • Never take notes while driving. Pull off the road, or wait until your vehicle is stopped or parked. • If you use your car phone frequently, consider investing in a voice-activated model that allows to you to keep your hands on the wheel at all times. • Program frequently called numbers and take advantage of speed-dial features. Most phones store up to 20 numbers that can be easily recalled by touching only two or three buttons. • Dial only when stopped. Wait for a traffic light or stop sign, or pull off the road if its safe. Better yet, have a passenger do the dialing. • If it's not convenient to take a call while driving, let your phone ring. TIP #2. MAINTENANCE: THE KEY TO YOUR CAR'S ENDURANCE It's no secret that a well- maintained vehicle lasts longer than one that's been neglected. In addition to increasing your car's lifespan, regular maintenance also ensures greater performance and Prolong y An early warning sign of engine wear is excessive oil consumption, which is usually accompanied by blue-black exhaust smoke. A common reason for this condition is worn valve guide seals. The valves in a typical engine may open and close as often as 100,000 times per hour at highways speeds. The stem of the valve, sliding up and down it its guide, is fitted with a special seal designed to permit only a limited amount of oil to pass. (Some oil is necessary for lubrication). When these seals wear or harden, oil burning begins. Many of the conditions which cause an engine to burn oil prematurely are due to vehicle neglect. Piston rings, for example, can wear out prematurely if you do not change the oil and filter regularly. Worn rings lead to excessive oil consumption. There's only one satisfactory cure for won piston rings: Major engine work, which normally is accompanied by replacement of bearings, timing belt or chain, valve guides and other worn internal components. At that time valves are ground or replaced. This procedure, combined with a complete tune-up, usually will return the engine to nearly new performance. Today's vehicles are driven for more than 225,000 km and last up to 12 years, compared with being driven only 150,000 km and lasting less than 10 years in the 1970s. So it is worth it to properly maintain your vehicle and its engine. Check your engine oil regularly. If oil is over-full or smells like gasoline, it may be diluted with gasoline, thereby having lost some of its lubricating qualities. If you have to pump the accelerator to keep the engine from stalling, you may be pumping raw gasoline into the crank case. This situation can be avoided by keeping the engine properly tuned. Misfiring spark plugs aggravate a situation such as this because they permit raw, unburned gasoline to wash into the crank case. Not only does this create hard starting, it also On average, of the 400,000 drivers involved in reportable collisions in Ontario each year, more than 1,300 were identified as fatigued drivers. Here are some tips to drive alert: / Get adequate and quality sleep before a trip. I Avoid alcoholic beverages and heavy foods. / Beware of medications that can impair your driving ability. / Limit long distance driving — stop at least every two hours — rest or walk around. • Drive with a companion and If you make a mistake and accidentally cut someone off, try to apologize to the other driver with an appropriate gesture. If someone cuts you off, slow down and give them room to merge into your lane. 2) Don't drive slowly in the left lane. If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over and let them by. You may be "in the right" because you are travelling at the speed limit — but you may also be putting yourself in danger. As a matter of courtesy, CAA recommends you travel in the right lane and use the far left lane only for passing. 3) Don't tailgate. Drivers get angry or nervous when they are followed too closely. Allow at least a two-second space between your car and the car ahead. If you think another car is driving too slowly and you are unable to pass, pull back and allow more space, not less. That way if the car does something unexpected you will have time to get out of the way. If you feel you are being followed too closely, signal and pull over to allow the other driver to go by. 4) Don't make rude gestures. Almost nothing makes another driver angrier than obscene gestures. Keep your hands on the wheel and avoid making any gestures that might anger another driver, even "harmless" expressions of irritation like shaking your head. CAA Central Ontario is a not- for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel and emergency Ontario, and 3.8 million members CAA members in in Canada.