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• How can you tell what size
replacement tire is best?
• Is it true that cars with 50,000 or more miles have
timing-chain problems?
• Are extended service plans a good deal?
• Do oil additives that contain liquid teflon help
protect the engine?
• What maintenance should be done during long car
trips?
• How should you care for cars not driven for
extended periods of time?
• Is covering a car in winter a good idea?
• How do you protect yourself from being overcharged
by mechanics?
• Can spark plugs really go 100,000 miles before
being changed?
• How do you know how much air to put in tires?
• Will putting radial tires on an older car that
came with bias-ply tires hurt its suspension?
• How do you clean dirty battery terminals?
• How should you use antilock brakes in an
emergency?
• How long should you warm up an engine before
winter driving?
• Should you turn your car off when stopped for
extended periods?
• What should you do if the engine temperature gauge
begins rising during rush-hour traffic?
• Does putting extra air in the tires help a car
cope with carrying extra weight?
• Does it matter where you buy gasoline?
• Is 93-octane gasoline only for race cars?
• How must extra fuel is burned when using air
conditioning?
• Are today's cars really better than the ones built
in the 1950s?
Q. How can you tell what size
replacement tire is best?
A. To maintain your car's original ride and handling, make sure
the aspect ratio of your new tires matches the ratio listed on
your car's original tires or on the placard on the door edge, fuel
filler door, glove box or visor. The aspect ratio is the ratio of
the height to the width of the tire. If looking at the tire, find
the two numbers listed before the letter "R." They designate the
aspect ratio. For instance, a tire with the size designation
P215/65R15 has an aspect ratio of 65--meaning the tire is 65
percent higher than it is wide. You thus want "65-series" tires.
Q. Is it true that cars with 50,000 or more
miles have timing-chain problems?
A. Cars with rubber timing belts should have them replaced at
50,000 miles to prevent engine damage. Cars with timing chains can
be driven considerably farther because chains are stronger and
last longer--partly because they are oil-lubricated. But timing
chains can still break. A broken chain can ruin the whole engine
and leave you with a large repair bill. Usually, timing chains
should be replaced at the 100,000-mile mark, although some cars
call for an earlier replacement. Preventative maintenance results
in a better-running car and lower repair bills in the long run.
Q. Are extended service plans a good deal?
A. Don't waste your money on a service plan. With good care, a new
car doesn't need service protection beyond that offered by the
factory.
Q. Do oil additives that contain liquid teflon
help protect the engine?
A. Most of those products are a waste of money. You'll be fine
just changing your engine oil and oil filter on a regular basis,
using name-brand oil.
Q. What maintenance should be done during long
car trips?
A. Check the oil level when you stop for gasoline on long trips,
where autos are likelier to use more oil. Pull over immediately
and call for help from a mechanic if the oil pressure light goes
on; otherwise, the engine could be destroyed. If the car begins
overheating, check for coolant leaks or broken belts. If there are
no such problems, switch off the air-conditioner and turn on the
heater to maximum to bleed some heat from the engine. Then drive
to the nearest service station while keeping an eye on the
temperature gauge.
Q. How should you care for cars not driven for
extended periods of time?
A. Make sure someone you trust starts the car every three
weeks--or preferably drives it until it is warmed up to prevent
items such as gaskets from drying up. Move the car backward and
forward in the garage if you don't want to take it on roads.
Getting everything to operating temperature on dry, saltless roads
at least once a month is best.
Q. Is covering a car in winter a good idea?
A. Many covers trap moisture and lead to rust. Have a fan--hooked
to a timer--blow on the car a few hours a day to get rid of
moisture.
Q. How do you protect yourself from being
overcharged by mechanics?
A. First, use a repair facility with a good reputation. Then get a
written estimate of repair costs before giving your consent to
have work performed. If the facility finds more work is needed
that would increase the cost of the original estimate, get an
estimate for the extra work before consenting to have it
performed. You should receive written invoices that list repairs
performed, parts prices and the cost of labor. You may request the
return of replaced parts, unless they must be returned to the
manufacturer to satisfy a warranty or exchange agreement.
Q. Can spark plugs really go 100,000 miles
before being changed?
A. I have heard of spark plugs found seized in cylinder heads of
vehicles with as little as 60,000 miles. It took over four hours'
labor just to remove the plugs. There are documented cases where
it was necessary to remove cylinder heads just to get the plugs
out. Experienced mechanics suggest that to maintain peak
performance, spark plugs should not be run longer than 30,000
miles, even though they continue to fire. Car buyers should take
those "100,000-miles" marketing claims of manufacturers with a
grain of salt.
Q. How do you know how much air to put in
tires?
A. Inflate tires according to the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended inflation pressure found in the owner's manual or on
places such as the door post and glove box door. As the Tire
Industry Safety Council puts it: "Just because the speedometer in
your vehicle measures speeds up to 120 m.p.h. doesn't mean the
manufacturer is suggesting 120 as a recommended cruising speed.
The same applies to air pressure limits stamped on the sidewall of
your tires." Unless you load your vehicle to its maximum carrying
capacity, using the maximum pressure listed on the tires will
result in a terribly hard ride and may adversely affect steering
control.
Q. Will putting radial tires on an older car
that came with bias-ply tires hurt its suspension?
A. I'd recommend radials for anything short of a Conestoga wagon.
Radials improve ride, handling and steering response. And they
deliver a more cushioned ride that is easier on suspension
components than the older bias-ply tires.
Q. How do you clean dirty battery terminals?
A. After disconnecting both terminal cables, use a baking soda
paste--three parts baking soda and one part water--to clean
corrosion built-up from battery terminals without the need for a
wire brush. The slightly alkaline paste neutralizes corrosion.
After reconnecting the clamps to the terminals, wipe them with
petroleum jelly to help prevent future corrosion. Be careful when
working around a battery because it contains a strong acid.
Q. How should you use antilock brakes in an
emergency?
A. Firmly apply and maintain continuous pressure on the brake
pedal while continuing to steer away from obstacles. Anti-lock
brake systems use sophisticated sensors to automatically pump the
brakes up to 18 times per second. Even racer Mario Andretti can't
move that fast. Steer normally. The main benefit of an anti-lock
brake system is that it doesn't allow the front wheels to lock,
which causes loss of steering control. "Most importantly, don't
jerk the wheel," says David Wills, president of the AAA Foundation
for Traffic Safety. "That's a natural thing to do, but with ABS
the car will respond to steering input and go off to the side" and
not slide into an accident.
Q. How long should you warm up an engine
before winter driving?
A. An engine shouldn't idle for more than 15 to 30 seconds in any
season, especially if it's fuel-injected. One exception: The
engine of a vehicle about to pull a heavy load such as a trailer
should be allowed to idle for five minutes or so to allow the oil
to become adequately warm.
Q. Should you turn your car off when stopped
for extended periods?
A. A car engine shouldn't be left idling unnecessarily for more
than a minute. It takes less fuel to start a car than it takes to
let it idle while waiting, say, for a long freight train to pass.
Q. What should you do if the engine
temperature gauge begins rising during rush-hour traffic?
A. Don't panic. Give the car a little gas to let it rid itself of
some engine heat. Turn on the heater, which will draw heat from
the engine. If the gauge is firmly in the danger zone, pull to the
side of the road and let the motor cool. Most cars shouldn't
overheat--so have the cooling system checked. The problem could be
anything from a clogged radiator core to low engine coolant to an
inoperable radiator fan.
Q. Does putting extra air in the tires help a
car cope with carrying extra weight?
A. Definitely. When tires are cold, add five pounds to the
pressures recommended by your car's manufacturer. But don't
overload the car because excessive loads and sharp impacts can
cause tire cord breaks and create damaging heat buildup because of
abnormal sidewall flexing.
Q. Does it matter where you buy gasoline?
A. Buy gasoline at busy stations to ensure you don't get a "bad
load" that has been sitting too long in a tank. Also, don't buy
gas at a station at the same time you see a delivery truck filling
an underground tank--and stirring up impurities in the fuel in
that tank.
Q. Is 93-octane gasoline only for race cars?
A. No. A fair number of vehicles have high-performance engines
that call for 93-octane gasoline. But most do fine with 87- or
89-octane fuel. Sometimes older engines need all the help they can
get. The higher the compression ratio with older cars, the more
need for a higher-octane fuel. If the car performs better with
93-octane, use that grade of gas. It won't hurt the engine. Race
cars? They like 100-plus octane fuel.
Q. How must extra fuel is burned when using
air conditioning?
A. It is estimated that the use of air conditioning in a typical
car reduces fuel economy by one to two miles per gallon. For
larger cars, or when traveling in extreme heat, air conditioning
cuts fuel economy up to four miles per gallon.
Q. Are today's cars really better than the
ones built in the 1950s?
A. The old models were more colorful and simpler to fix. But they
were fuel-guzzling, overweight polluters that didn't stay in tune
as long as modern cars. Also, while most 1950s cars rarely
exceeded 100,000 miles without lots of maintenance and gentle
driving, even low-priced 1990s autos are routinely driven far more
than 100,000 miles with minimal maintenance. They're also safer,
with items such as air bags, advanced safety belt systems,
anti-lock brakes and "crush" zones that let the car--not its
occupants--absorb the impact in collisions. Being lighter and more
efficient, they're faster with a V-6 than most of the old V-8s.
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