There are very few things more satisfying than buying a new car. There is great pride of ownership and a feeling of accomplishment and pride as you drive around town in your new vehicle. For most of us, that new car excitement lasts until we must make our first payment or until we get our first parking lot ding. For an unlucky few, they wish these were the only negatives that they had to worry about.
These unlucky few are the people who find themselves with an automobile that will, after much frustration and exhaustion on the part of the owner, be classified on a lemon.
Reader Question: My check engine light came on the other day what should I do? Will it hurt my car if I continue to drive it? Thanks James
Dear James,
People are always asking me what the most reliable car is to purchase. You know it took me quite a while to figure this out as I grew up mainly because I grew up in a family with recessive genes when it came to purchasing vehicles. My grandfather (the one who would sing Italian love songs after a glass of wine on my dad’s back patio) was in love with Cadillacs. Picture this 5′, 6” graying guy who looked like the typical image of the Mafia boss driving his 43-foot long El Dorado down the street and you start to understand what I’m talking about.
My grandfather had almost no problems with those Cadillacs since he bought a new one every 2 or 3 years. But he didn’t seem to get the idea that was a very expensive approach to car purchasing (the biggest hit to depreciation in a car’s value is usually in the first 3 years as most of us know). But it made him happy and that’s what mattered. And he had a ready source to purchase the aging vehicles. My dad.
I used to think that all auto repair shops were exactly the same. That’s what my dad told me. Being an at home “master mechanic” who saw cars as just another home repair, dad was sure that all those automotive car fix it folks were just guys with a wrench who had only one advantage over him – they already read the Chilton auto repair guide before him. He spent hours laboring over the guides learning how to fix various things on the car and once in a while he got it right. Ok, I’m picking on dad a bit. In reality before cars got really complicated with computer systems and all these new fangled sensors such as those notorious O2 Sensors that seem to fail with reckless abandon these days, he actually did a pretty good job of getting the old cars to work most of the time. But beyond dad, how do you find a truly great auto repair shop?
The fact is there are a lot of things that you can look for when picking an automotive repair shop. First I think it’s important to consider the credentials. For example, ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications are a great place to start. Some shops have great mechanics who are not ASE certified, but the problem is without the certifications “you” don’t know which of those guys knows what they are doing and which ones don’t. The ASE certification is a great way to validate a mechanic’s skills. If the mechanic received an ASE certification in an area such as brakes, your chances of getting solid repair work are improved. Note that an ASE mechanic may be certified in brakes, but not in engine work, so it’s valid to ask the question of your service advisor as to whether the mechanic working on your car is ASE certified in the area you are going to have service.
Are you having trouble with your car overheating? It can be a frustrating problem to deal with and diagnose. This article will go over some of the most common reasons why cars and trucks overheat.
One of the most common reasons for a vehicle overheating is a stuck thermostat. It can stick or freeze in the closed position blocking the flow of coolant to your engine. The easiest way to check if your thermostat is not open is to feel the upper radiator hose. Once the engine warms up it should become warm. If it does not get hot the thermostat is probably not opening.
Carfacts and CHANGING YOUR OIL…
The first thing you should do is go to your local discount auto store or WalMart and purchase your oil and filter.
Posted in Vehicles | Also tagged automotive, Filters, oil, parts |
I drive a 2003 Volkswagen Passat. Yesterday I was making a long trip home and about 20 minutes into the trip the car said it was overheating. The coolant level was fine, and as soon as we would pull over the temperature would drop back to normal (before we even got to a complete stop.) Later in the trip it stopped cooling down when we would pull over and there was a sort of popping/gurgling noise that sounded like it was sort of behind the dash.Took it to the mechanic today and they have cleaned the radiator, checked the head gasket, etc. and they are baffled.
Any ideas?
Trading the car in: what makes financial sense?
A lot of people are trading their cars in every 4-5 years. A car payment, stretched over 5-7 years, is not uncommon.
1. How to choose a repair shop. What you should look for when choosing a repair shop
Ask for a recommendation from friends, family, and anyone else you really trust. Look for a repair shop before you need one so you are not rushed at the last minute to find one.
I was letting my car warm-up I notice that what I thought was water moisture coming out of the tailpipe was not a solid mist but litlle drops blowing out.
I held a paper towel in front of the pipe and had someone lightly punch the gas then it was a little more of like if you did a light spray of window cleaner on a paper towel.
Cold weather is coming and in some northern states is already here. That means it’s time to winterize your car.
Vehicle maintenance is something we don’t think about unless there’s a problem, but regular maintenance and routine inspection can prevent unnecessary breakdowns and expenses. Although there are some maintenance items that must be done by a professional, there are some simple things you can either check at home or schedule to have done routinely.
Remember the good old days when if you needed something done you could hire someone to do it? You didn’t have to worry about anything like where to find a part or how to repair anything. You used to be able to pull up to a gas station, where someone would actually come out and pump the gas for you, check your oil and clean your windshield. All you had to do was pay for the gas and be on your way. Now we have entered the “do it yourself era”. You pump your own gas and check out your own groceries. There’s a book on how “dummies” can learn to do anything by just reading a few pages and applying the lessons learned.
One of the few things left that you can still opt to have a professional do is maintenance on your car. You can go through one of the many drive thrus that offer oil changes and engine maintenance. With the way things are going, it might be better to start to learn how to do these tasks yourself, not just to save money, but who knows how long you will be able to rely on someone else to change things like your oil filter.
Posted in General | Tagged car repair |
Reader Question Thursday driving my 2001 Hyundai Sonata GLS check engine light is on and car sputters near my home. I take it home and checked & was low on oil. I take my husbands car to go buy oil and put it in. I tell my husband about it, he takes it to nearby store no problems, no check engine light.
Friday I drive it as normal; probably about 30 to 50 miles for the day. No check engine light and no problems.
Reader Question I have a question to ask you about my 1994 Mazda B-3000. The engine intermittenly does not start. When you turn the key you never know what you’re going to get. The starter turns but sometimes the engine does not start. If I’m lucky enough to be parked on a hill (it’s a standard) in first gear or reverse, once you get it rolling and pop the clutch it starts without much trouble. It seems to have plenty of power from the battery, (lights, etc. all work). Someone told me it’s a flywheel problem but my mechanic said he didn’t think so, and is unable to diagnose the problem. He said he took the starter out and checked it and found nothing wrong. What do you think? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Very Frusterated, Joe D.
Good question Joe,
How many times have you gone on a long trip and were not quite comfortable with the condition of your vehicle, but you went anyway? Or how many times have you stayed up late worrying about your college student who loves to do “road-trips” with their friends? Have you ever had a spouse that commuted to school in the evenings, or maybe your job takes you over thirty minutes away from home? These are the many questions that most Americans encounter on a weekly basis.
When it comes to auto repair or maintenance to your vehicle it can be not only frustrating, but also time consuming. No one wants to get ripped off or taken advantage of, so making sure you get quality help is vital. Whether you are looking for imported or domestic parts, auto repair can be made easy with simple access to the internet and a few sensible tips.