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"TIPS
ON CARS"
Kyle's Corner - Tips to make your vehicle go
the distance
Adapted
from "Drive the Best..." © 2002 by
Kyle Busch
If you would like to receive more information about the article, please
contact Mr. Kyle Busch or
visit his Web site: www.DriveTheBestBook.com
I was surfing yesterday and found this fantastic
freebie online. It's for a completely free
subscription to Parents magazine. That's pretty
cool! I sign up for mine.
Get a free subscription to Parents Magazine!
The Story:
If you are on a tight budget, or
even on an unlimited budget, you know how important it is to make the
most of what you have. Getting More Miles Out of Your Car The following are some tips that
will help you to get more miles out of your vehicle.
1.
First, consider, does your vehicle actually have the ability to run
many miles without incurring costly repairs? Find out by
visiting a public library to consult
the frequency-of-repair information
in the April magazine issue of Consumer Reports.
If your vehicle has a poor repair
history, consider buying a vehicle that has better ratings and
fuel efficiency. If you want
to extend the life of your vehicle, at the beginning of each
month, have the engine oil level checked to make
certain that it is at the full-level mark on the
dipstick. Buying two quarts of oil that are on sale and keeping it
in the trunk, will enable you to avoid
getting stuck paying three times what the oil should cost.
Be certain to only use the type of oil and
other fluids as specified in the vehicle owner's manual.
2. Every
three months (more often, however, if specified by your vehicle
owner's manual) and prior to leaving for and upon
returning from a trip, check (or have a service station
attendant check) the tire pressure and the other fluids that
include:
 Why is
it important to keep the fluids at their full-level marks? The
fluids lubricate moving parts to reduce fiction, heat, and
wear. Therefore, they are the single most important factor for
extending the life of a vehicle.
3. If
you drive 6,000 miles or less per year, have the engine oil
and oil filter changed at the beginning of spring and near
the end of fall. If you drive 10,000 or more miles per year, have the
engine oil and oil filter changed every 3,000 to
3,500 miles or about every four months. An easy
way to remember oil
changes is to mark a new calendar at the beginning
of a year with "oil change" reminders (i.e.,
May and November
or April, July, and October). Service
stations usually run specials on oil changes (i.e., $10.99
- $13.99). However, make certain that the station is
reputable. Some stations have been known to skip changing
the oil or to do part of the job by changing the oil but
not the oil filter. To help make certain that the oil filter
was in fact replaced, use a black marker to put an X on the
new oil filter after an oil change. When the next oil
change has been completed, the newly installed filter should
not include an X.
4. Prior to
winter, have a service station attendant check the
antifreeze in the clear plastic coolant bottle with
a hydrometer (a
device that takes a sample of antifreeze and specifies how
cold the temperature can become before the antifreeze
freezes). The antifreeze should be able to withstand (i.e., not
freeze) temperatures of at least 30 degrees "below the coldest" winter temperature. If the
antifreeze is too weak, have additional antifreeze added to the
coolant bottle. Purchase the type of antifreeze as specified
in the vehicle owner's manual (i.e., usually a type
that is suitable for "aluminum and all types of
metals" that are used today's
engines). It important to avoid frozen antifreeze
because it can crack an engine's block which could result
in possibly thousands of dollars for the repair.
5. If
you drive about 6,000 miles or less per year, have
the engine air
filter changed once every two years. If you drive over 10,000
miles per year, have the engine air filter changed once
a year in the spring. Many discount stores regularly
have sales on air filters.
6. In the
spring and in the fall give the vehicle a thorough wash,
tar removal, and wax. When washing the vehicle in-between
the seasonal waxes, use a car wash product that
is safe for clear coat and waxed finishes.
7. Basic
vehicle maintenance is an ongoing process. The secret to making
it "easy" and keeping a vehicle "looking great"
involves two components. First, maintaining regular vehicle
involvement and second, only doing a little at a time. Each week
throughout the year (in addition to the maintenance suggested
above) take about 10-15 minutes to
focus on a small aspect of the vehicle (i.e., wash the windows-week
one, vacuum the carpet-week two, Armor. All the
dash and the door panels-week three, etc.). After about three
months, one of the "small jobs" will need
to be repeated.
However, the vehicle will never be in rough shape. Doing a
"small but thorough" job on one specific aspect of the vehicle
each week, requires very little time or energy. Having a
vehicle that continually "looks great" makes it worthwhile. The tips provided above are the
most basic maintenance requirements that will help your
vehicle to run longer. Be certain to reference the vehicle
owner's manual for any additional maintenance required
on your vehicle. Basic vehicle maintenance involves a
minimal investment of time and money, but it will
provide major benefits in vehicle performance and lower
repair costs. Additionally, your vehicle will be in better
condition when it becomes time to sell.
Buying a Used Vehicle:
Kyle
Busch is the author of Drive the Best for the Price:
How
to Buy a Used Automobile, Sport-Utility Vehicle, or Minivan
and Save
Money. He has over 300,000 miles on
his
1986 Volkswagen Jetta - a used vehicle that he bought
in
1991 for $2,600.
For more information about the book,
call:1
800 839-8640 or visit: www.drivethebestbook.com.
The
web site accepts readers' transportation questions.
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