porsche-turbo-engine-no-car, a cool car photo uploaded by: velo4it
Porsche Turbo Engine Buit No Car
an engine without a car…all because of a coolant leak
Archive for January, 2009
porsche-turbo-engine-no-car, a cool car photo uploaded by: velo4it
2 More Common Fallacies About Car Maintenance
A few weeks ago, I had written an article that described a few common myths about car maintenance. Millions of people are fooled into believing those myths by savvy marketing and less-than-scrupulous mechanics. For example, the idea that your vehicle must have regular oil changes every 3,000 miles is an absolute falsehood. Similarly, your technician’s advice to have your radiator flushed once a year is more for his bottom line than for preserving your cooling system. Despite this, a lot of drivers spend unnecessary time and money following such advice.
Today, I’m going to describe 2 more common fallacies about car maintenance. These are myths that are perpetuated not only by your local mechanic, but by your dealership’s service technicians. Learn them and save your money.
#1 – Frequent Tune-Ups
Unless you’re driving a vehicle that was built when disco was still the rage, your car’s engine probably doesn’t need a tune-up. The service was performed in order to adjust the engine and moving parts during a time when carburetors were installed in every model. Today, the only car parts that need “tuning up” are the spark plugs. And those just need to be replaced every 50,000 miles. Everything else – the ignition, fuel injection, and idling of the engine – is controlled by computers.
Unfortunately, dealerships continue to tell their customers that they need to bring their vehicles in for a tune-up after 60,000 miles. That’s not surprising. After all, it increases their revenue.
#2 – New Air Filters
Think back to the last time you took your vehicle in for an oil change. Did the mechanic suggest a new air filter? Did he subtly imply that your car might sustain damage if you neglected to replace it? This is a common misconception. First, the air filter catches debris before it can enter the engine. Over time, the filter can accumulate so much dust and dirt that very little air can flow through. At that point, it’s a good idea to replace it. But, it takes a long time for the air filter to reach that stage.
Of course, that doesn’t stop auto technicians from recommending the replacement every time you visit. From their perspective, you come to their shop ready to spend $20 on an oil change and end up spending $40. What’s not to like?
Auto Maintenance Education Saves Money
Your vehicle requires ongoing preventative maintenance. That’s what helps ensure that it will last. But, it’s too easy to waste valuable time and money following bad advice from mechanics and dealership technicians. Remember, their goal is to increase their sales; many of them are willing to do it at your expense.
Chances are, your vehicle doesn’t need regular tune-ups. Nor do you need to replace the air filter as often as your mechanic might suggest. As always, follow your owners manual. It’s the best way to keep your car in great condition.
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January-7-09
Where is the best place to store my car if the garage is full?
Posted by admin under cars
Where is the best place to store my car if the garage is full?
If you cannot get your vehicle under cover in a garage then your options are fairly limited when it comes to protecting the look of your vehicle. Paintwork is especially vulnerable to the elements and needs protection from rain, sun, animals and people so it makes sense to look at a car protection cover to provide a robust layer of all round protection for your pride and joy.
Modern car protection covers are made from durable and flexible materials which perform a variety of protective functions. They will be waterproof and so keep your bodywork from coming into contact with water which will cause discoloration of your paint job and if left unchecked, rust which will ravage the look of your car very quickly and cost dearly to put right. They will also be able to block out the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet or UV radiation; the same rays which cause sunburn in people also cause damage to your paint job and the sun is the major cause of a faded paint job which always looks unsightly and there is nothing you can do to remedy it once it has happened.
Prevention is definitely better than cure in this instance!
It is not just the weather that you need to deal with; there are a host of other things that can damage the look and body of your car such as children playing near the car; the cat deciding the hood is a great place to sunbathe; or a tree shedding leaves under which you have parked the car. All of these and many others will contribute to your car becoming scratched, discoloured, dented and acquiring the odd ding or two depending on how much in harm’s way you have parked the vehicle.
Make sure the car cover is therefore strong and robust enough to deal with minor scrapes and hits from animals, trees and people.
One factor is frequently underestimated and that is bird droppings. Bird droppings are highly acidic and should never be allowed to remain in contact with your car’s paint job. They will react chemically with your paintwork and damage the coating as well as the paint itself causing the formation of discoloured spots, dulled paintwork and if left untreated create opportunities for water to get to the underlying bodywork and cause very serious rust damage.
You need to be able to rely on the protective abilities of the car cover you choose but it needs to be able to fit the vehicle easily and be secured so that it can be left unattended for several weeks or even months. More than this, once it is not in use it must be capable of being stored for long periods of time without losing these qualities – older materials for instance, have a tendency to crack along fold creases and this allows the elements to gain access to your vehicle underneath.
The issue is not so much, where is the best place to store your car outside of the garage but what else is there that you can effectively store your car in. A durable, quality car protection cover will cocoon your car, truck or boat and provide an added layer of protection so it continues to look good and is kept damage free for as long as you own it.
About the Author
Ryan Draving is the president of Empire Covers, a leading provider of car covers, truck covers, and other vehicle covers. They can be found online at: http://www.empirecovers.com
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