I was talking to someone the other day and they mentioned they had 2 new tires put on their car. I asked them if they really wanted to go into the ditch that bad? They answered, “What?”, I explained to them that if you mix tire tread patterns it can cause vehicle stability issues. You see, most of today’s vehicles are equipped with some kind of Vehicle Stability Control system and ABS (Anti-Lock Brakes). These systems calculate many factors and then make decisions about transmission gear changes, engine speed, braking and steering to keep you from driving beyond the vehicles limits. The problem with having tires that do not match (Tire design, manufacturer, rubber compounds, age etc.) is that all these safety systems assume that the traction or road contact is the same at each point of the vehicle. If one or more contact points are different, the systems will react incorrectly and possibly destabilize the vehicle potentially causing an accident. The moral of the story is saving a few bucks may cost you your life under certain conditions, BUY 4 TIRES!
Archive for the ‘car maintenance’ Category
Your tires should be a “Match made in Heaven!”
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009Deadly contact!
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009I would guess that most people have no idea of what a DOT number is on your tires. This is perhaps the most important number associated with a vehicle tire, even more important than the price, it’s the age. Watch the following report from ABC news before you kill your family or friends trying to save money and time:
NEW NEVER GETS OLD?
Monday, November 9th, 2009In the U.S. we seem to be in love with the word “NEW”. We want new cars, new girl friends or boyfriends, new shoes, new relationships, new furniture, etc. Why? that’s what I want to know. New is always going to get old eventually, are we just going to trade up ever time there is a “NEW” available? Why not fix that car, relationship, girl/boy friend first and then see how things are.
Cars are HAE’s specialty, not girl/boy friends or shoes. When it comes to the automobile, people are often to quick to through in the towel. Sure if you have an extremely high mileage vehicle that is costing you repair money of more than a car payment monthly, you need to consider looking for something else. But, ig you do the math and consider that a car is a depreciating asset, you might find that a new car payment (Typically around $478 per month for 6 years) is a lot more expensive than the repairs for that same period on your existing vehicle.
The auto manufactures would like you to buy a new car ever few years, that keeps the wheels of industry rolling, but can keep your budget rolled up! In reality, you can keep your car repaired and servicing your needs for many years beyond the last payment as long as you do the required maintenance. There are published reports that show savings in most cases of over $15,000 during a 6 year period of payments versus repairs. That’s $15,000, WOW! Imagine the credit cards that you could pay off and get rid of the high interest loans.
The next time you think “NEW” car, stop and ask yourself, “How much have I spent on actual repairs over the last 2 years?” Excluded maintenance, since that has to be done even on the new cars. Then figure out the expected car payment and see which one is less, I would bet the repair is going to win out on that.
Warranties that extend???
Wednesday, January 28th, 2009Extended Warranty, warranty?
Lately, auto repair extended warranty companies have been courting consumers’ hard earned dollars. Extended warranties can be a safety net that can save you money, but they are not without limits. You should weight the potential for failure against the cost of the warranty. Some of these warranties cost thousands of dollars and have limited “pay outs”. You may spend $2000 for a warranty and incur a repair cost of $2500 to replace a transmission only to find the next time you need the warranty, your benefit has been exhausted. Why give your money to a warranty company to only have them give it back “if” you use the warranty. If your vehicles’ factory warranty runs out in the first 18 months because of mileage, and you have bought an extended warranty, that warranty then becomes active. This warranty is probably for a time limit of 3 years and 72,000 miles. This means the mileage of the vehicle not how many miles you drive after the original warranty runs out. Therefore, the warranty is actually 3 years and 36,000 miles. Remember the average person drives about 22,000 miles per year, this effectively ends your extended warranty after only 18 months or so. Now if you figure the average person spends about $500 per year on actual repairs that are covered by most of these warranties. This means the average person would spend about $750 for repairs over the same period they paid $2000 dollars for coverage. Do the math and save the money for “If” you have a repair need. If the average person maintains their car properly they will come away from the experience without the need for an extended warranty, but make the call yourself on this one, I am only giving you the facts.
Wiper Blades: The Unsung Hero of Vehicle Safety
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008The only times I notice my windshield wipers is when it’s raining or when I’m at the car wash. When they’re not working properly, though, I notice them even more. It’s not only irritating when your blades leave streaks on your windshield, it can also be dangerous. Following are some ways to make your wiper blades last longer so you can get the most life out of them.
Clean them. This seems simple enough, eh? Every time you wash your car, make sure to lift the wiper blades off the windshield and clean them with rubbing alcohol and water. This will get the dirt and grease off of them.
Park in the shade. Direct and prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun will make your blades brittle and dry if they are made of rubber. Try to park your car in the shade or in a garage whenever possible to avoid this.
Apply water repellent. Products like Rain-X and others repel water from your windshield when it’s sprinkling outside. Apply a thin coat and then wipe off the haze after it dries. You’ll notice that you will need your wipers less, thus prolonging their lifetime.
Get silicone. If you have the option, choose silicone wiper blades instead of rubber. Silicone blades are more resistant to “the elements” and, as a result, they last about five times as long as rubber blades.
How to Inspect Your Brakes for Problems
Friday, July 18th, 2008You don’t always need to take your car to a mechanic if you think your brakes need an inspection. Yes, it’s true that many of them offer specials where they give you a free brake inspection, but I’m sure nobody has walked away from a free inspection without spending any money. So here are some things you can do to diagnose the problem yourself and hopefully save some money.
Check the brake fluid. If your brake fluid is low, that could mean you have a leak in the braking system. If the fluid is discolored, it could be getting contaminated with moisture.
Get in the car to check. Before starting the engine, apply the brakes and then turn the key. If the pedal drops when the engine starts, that’s good. If that doesn’t happen, you could have a bad vacuum connection or a leaky booster. But if the brakes feel “soft,” meaning you have to push harder for them to take effect, you could air in your brake lines or something more serious.
Check the ABS light. When you turn your car on, your ABS light should also come on and then disappear after a few seconds. If it stays on, there’s a problem with the system. If it doesn’t come on at all, you probably have a burned out bulb.
Use the parking brake. Don’t underestimate the importance of this device. Check it every so often to make sure it’s working properly by applying it to see if it “holds” the vehicle. Try to move the vehicle with it applied, but don’t attempt to drive it because you could do serious damage.
Of course, if you do end up needing some brake work done, don’t forget about getting an honest auto estimate from us before you pay your mechanic. We’ll let you know if you’re being overcharged before you even get the work done.
The Basics of Disc Brakes
Thursday, July 17th, 2008If you’ve ever owned a bike, you know the basic design of disc brakes on a car. They’re both basically the same concept. The only difference is that the disc brakes on a car don’t rub against the wheel like they do on a bike. Instead, they rub against a part on inside of the wheel – called the rotor – to make the car stop.
The majority of cars made today use a disc-braking system for the front brakes. The reason for this is because they are better than drum brakes and the front wheels are vital to stopping a vehicle. The brakes on the front do most of the work and the rear brakes are more or less of a “backup” set of brakes.
Here is how disk brakes work:
The brake pedal – When you step on the brake pedal in your car, a piston forces hydraulic fluid into the tubes of the braking system for each wheel.
The calipers – When the fluid is released, the pistons in each caliper pushes the brake pads against the rotors.
The pads – When pressed against the rotors, the brake pads create friction that eventually stops the wheels and the vehicle. The material used to make the brake pads is designed to withstand the heat of the friction.
The Advantages of Disc Brakes
Because of their design, disc brakes aren’t as prone to locking up as drum brakes are.
Disc brakes are more open, allowing them to cool off more efficiently than drum brakes.
Disc brakes are more resistant to water.
Disc brakes are self-adjusting, meaning they still function normally as the pads wear down.
A Quick DIY Guide for Changing Your Brakes
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008How many times have you had your brake pads changed by a local mechanic? If you’re like me, you’ve probably done it more than once. But if you have even a little bit of patience and mechanical know-how, you can probably change your brakes yourself. Following is a basic do-it-yourself guide to changing your own brakes so you can save money and feel proud about your accomplishment.
1. Park your car on a level surface and in a shady area. You want to be comfortable when you’re doing this type of job.
2. Put blocks under the rear wheels if you’re changing the front brakes. This will keep the car from rolling when you jack the front end up.
3. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheels. Find a part of the frame underneath the front end to place the jack. Lift up the front end enough so that you can remove the tire.
4. Place jack stands underneath the vehicle.
5. Finish removing the lug nuts and remove both wheels. Set them off to the side and place the lug nuts in a small container so you don’t lose them.
6. Remove the calipers. There is typically a bolt holding the calipers in place. Simply loosen the bolt and slide it out of the caliper assembly.
7. Inspect the pads to determine what’s holding them to the caliper. They usually have clips or bolts attaching them to the caliper. Remove whatever is holding them together. It’s always a good idea to work on one side at a time so you can see how it’s put together on the other side.
8. Inspect the rotors next. These are the parts of the brakes that the pads rub against to stop the car. If the rotors are smooth, they should be fine. If, however, they have deep groves, you’ll have to replace them. In some cases, minor grooves can be “turned” by a local auto parts store, but that’s more of a judgment call.
9. Take the parts to the auto parts store and get identical parts. You’ll need brake pads and brake pad grease at the very least. If you plan to change the rotors, you’ll need those, too.
10. Before replacing the pads, you’ll need to move the piston back to its open position. This part is located near the backside of the caliper. It needs to be moved to its open position to accommodate the extra thickness of the new brake pads. Depending on how old it is, you may be able to do it with your hand or you may need to use a pair of vice grips or pliers to move it back into place.
11. If you’re replacing the rotors, do that first. They should slide on and off fairly easily.
12. Spread brake grease on the backside of the brake pads. The backside is that part that doesn’t come into contact with the rotors. It serves as a lubricant between the metal of the pads and the calipers to reduce heat in the area.
13. Think back to how the assemblies came apart and reassemble them in that way. With any luck, you might be able to finish the job in only about a couple hours.
14. Pump the brakes a few times to get the fluid back into the line. Take the car for a short test drive on some back roads to ensure it stops fine.
See how easy that was? Just imagine how much better you’ll feel when you don’t have to run to the local mechanic every time you need new brakes!
Five Ways to Make Your Brakes Last Longer
Monday, July 14th, 2008Getting your brakes changed isn’t cheap. If you’re mechanically savvy, you might be able to do it yourself. But it’s still not the easiest job in the world to do. That’s why you should take steps to make them last as long as possible. Here are five simple things you can do to increase the life of your brakes.
Be a coaster. You don’t have to hit the brake every time you just want to slow down. When getting on the exit ramp of the freeway, coast down to 40 or so before even touching the brake. If you’re approaching a red light, coast for a little ways if you’ve still got a distance to go before the light. You’ll be surprised how easy it is. This may even save you a bit of gas.
Use one foot for driving. Some people use their left foot for the brake and their right foot for the accelerator. But this often leads to riding the brake while still accelerating. That’s one of the quickest ways to wear down your brakes.
Make the vehicle lighter. You don’t have to be a physics major to know that the more weight there is, the more power it takes to stop the inertia. Driver a lighter car, lose some weight or take out some of the heavier stuff in your car to save some wear on your brakes.
Change the brake fluid. Every once in a while, your brakes need to be flushed. Changing your brake fluid makes your brakes more efficient and effective. If you don’t know how to flush the brake fluid, have a local mechanic do it. But check with us first to make sure you don’t get overcharged.
Change your brakes at the first sign of trouble. When you start hearing a slight squeaking noise when you stop, it’s time to change your brakes. Or if you feel your brakes are getting too “soft,” get it done then. Waiting too long will only cost more and more money the longer you wait.
Conditioned to Overspend on Air Conditioning?
Monday, July 14th, 2008High humidity and high temperatures can make commuting in non-air conditioned cars absolutely unbearable! This is why every summer people pay too much to get their car air conditioning repaired. They take the first quote at the first repair shop they go to just to get relief from the heat and the hassle.
In fact, it’s been said that air conditioning is one of the most overcharged auto repairs of all. Unethical shops may charge $1000 or more rather than a fair price for the work needed, so it’s important to get an accurate estimate. Also, air conditioning repair is a specialized area and requires a qualified, licensed mechanic. www.honestautoestimates.com makes sure you get the right air conditioning mechanic at the right price so you literally don’t lose your cool!