Mechanics Veto Extending Oil Changes

The nation's top mechanics are rejecting the recommendation by some in the auto field that cars can go 5,000 miles or more before oil is changed. National Institute for Auto-motive Service Excellence (ASE)-certified Master Automobile technicians weighed in on this and other issues in a survey conducted by Valvoline. The survey covered the controversial recommendation and trend toward longer intervals between oil changes, as well as the costs to car owners of delayed maintenance. "Certified Master Automobile Technicians are the best of the best," said ASE President Ron Weiner. "They are on the front lines of taking care of today's vehicles and they have definite thoughts on how motorists can participate in making their cars and trucks run better and last longer." Oil Change Frequency Mechanics view oil as the lifeblood of the car engine, with 84 percent saying not getting a regular oil change can cause the most problems for a vehicle, when compared to other maintenance issues. Sixty percent said the oil should be changed at 3,000 miles-the longtime, recommended standard. According to the survey, Valvoline remains the number one choice of ASE Master Automobile Technicians for use in their own cars and trucks, and is the brand of motor oil most recommended by them to customers, friends and relatives. "Changing oil with quality motor oil, like Valvoline, at regular intervals is the best way to prevent damage to your car's engine and keep more money in your pocket," said Valvoline Marketing Director Bryan Emrich. He added that regular oil changes protect the engine and reduce sludge, which can impact engine perfor-mance and cause costly repairs. Delayed Car Maintenance While car owners know, intellectually and intuitively, that regular maintenance is important to keeping their four-wheeled investment in safe condition and working order, the reality is that more and more Americans are not listening to conventional and proven wisdom. The vast majority of mechanics-87 percent-said they believe American car owners are putting off routine maintenance, mostly for cost reasons. Ironically, they overwhelmingly said-at 97 percent-that delayed care will cost an owner much more in the long run, as problems left unattended can multiply and lead to other issues.

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What Can I Do To Get An Accurate Car Value?

The need to find out an appropriate car value is common and very necessary to make wise financial decisions. Buyers want to know what to list their car’s price at. Sellers want to get an idea about how much a car is worth so they can limit their search and so that they can make sure that the price of a car is legitimate and that they aren’t getting cheated when they decide to purchase a car. Other examples would include insurance claims where it is important to get the value of a car back from the insurance company and to make decisions on how to proceed with damage repair. All in an effort to make sure that the repairs aren’t going to be more than the car is actually worth or anywhere close really. So how do you get an accurate estimate of car value? Well there are a number of ways many of which are located or take place on the internet. Your best bet is to have a buddy that knows cars and does this all the time. This would save you all the time that it takes to do the research on the cars and the market especially when you consider that the market is different depending on your area of the country and/or world. But what it you don’t have a friend that can just tell you a car value right off the bat? Then you have to do the research yourself. Well, how do you do the research? Well mostly on the internet. You can be glad about this too because it has never been easier to look up all the cars for sale in your area and see what a comparable car’s value is to what you have and want to sell or what you want and are looking to buy. There are sites online that also have great calculators that allow you to input your car and its features in and spits out the value of the car that you have described. You will have to look around a little but you can be assured that there are many of them out there. You can even compare the car value that you get from one site to the value that you get from another to get a confidence in the appraisal.

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Protect Your Wheels From An Insidious Fiend!

A few years back, a friend of mine brought over his newly purchased and “gently used” 325i to my home. I was nearly as excited for him as he was for himself as this was the car that he had always wanted. A recent promotion and raise at work meant he could ditch his LeSabre for something a bit more classier and a bit more expensive. As he rolled into my driveway I gave the car a good “once over” before my eyes rested on his front left wheel. While the rest of his car looked showroom new, his front wheels were absolutely filthy. So, what was the culprit that messed up my friend’s wheels? Please read on to find out all the sordid details! Brake dust. Yes, something as simple as dust from the 325i’s brakes messed up my friend John’s wheels. I handed him a sponge and a towel with some lukewarm water and he immediately began to touch up the alloy wheels and tires. Unfortunately, this was only a temporary fix as a few days later his wheels were messed up again. By that time, however, he had already ordered a set of brake dust shields to take care of the problem. Honestly, I never knew such a product existed until he told me about it. When John’s brake dust shields arrived, I helped him install them and was impressed how easy they went on his car. Brake dust shields are fitted right into the wheel, kind of like an internal hubcap. Each shield is a one piece unit that fits into place without any sort of special tool needed. John’s shields were sized just right for his wheels [order by wheel size to make sure] and his car no longer looks dirty. Best of all, his remaining warranty is not voided with this highly functional aftermarket part. Another thing I learned about brake dust is that besides looking bad, brake dust can eat away at alloy rims. You can’t use harsh chemicals on your rims to remove the dust nor should you use a high powered spray. Instead, brake shields [or brake dust covers as some people call them] take away the problem altogether leaving your wheels looking great at all times. Brake dust shields are vented too to allow your brakes to cool down. Brake dust shields are available through select auto parts stores including the Auto Parts Warehouse’s always open online store.

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You Can Install A Performance Exhaust System

If you are considering replacing your vehicle’s exhaust system, a performance exhaust system can be an ideal choice, offering to you many benefits over a stock exhaust system. Let’s examine the benefits of installing a performance exhaust system versus a stock exhaust system. 1. More Power – One of the obvious benefits of a performance exhaust system is more power for your car. Using catalyst back [cat-back] technology, additional horsepower is freed up, with horsepower increases of 5%, 10%, and even 15% possible. Exactly how does a cat-back system work? By keeping all the key emissions components in place, a cat-back system brings in large width exhaust pipes and low restriction performance mufflers for your car resulting in a lowering of exhaust back pressure. One nice side benefit is the deeper, throatier pitch created by the exhaust system. Since your vehicle’s engine is in essence an air pump, a cat-back system helps the engine to pump and flow air with less disruption. 2. Better Fuel Economy - You will achieve better fuel economy as a performance exhaust system allows your engine to run more effectively, thus consuming less fuel. 3. Long Lasting – Some performance exhaust systems are designed to outlast the life of your car. Depending on the system you acquire, you may be able to install a performance exhaust system that comes with a one million mile guarantee. How so? Because, the part is made of a certain grade of stainless steel, the same grade used to produce aircraft! You will pay more for the parts, but it can easily be the final exhaust system your vehicle will ever need. 4. Better Resale Value – Better parts on your vehicle will mean that its value will hold up. Sport versions of many models command a premium price over standard models. With a Haynes or Chilton repair manual at your side, you can replace your exhaust system yourself and save plenty of money on parts and labor. By installing a performance exhaust system yourself, you likely will pay only slightly more for the system over a dealer installed stock system, thereby maximizing the gains you will realize in electing to go with the performance exhaust system over the stock exhaust system.

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Pioneer Car Audio Mp3 What To Look For When Purchasing

When choosing a pioneer car audio MP3 it’s important to address a few key questions. How much do you want to spend? What features are most important to you? An MP3 is a way to encode audio that compresses data so it can store a lot more of it while keeping a high standard of quality. Pioneer has a long-standing reputation for quality and also for being one of the easiest car audio systems to install and use. They make a range of car audio that can play MP3’s, including the lower end DEH-P3700MP for a little over $100 to the AVICD1 navigation system for about $1,600. If you are looking for a basic system to play CD’s and MP3’s, a simpler system will be fine. But, if you want more features like navigation or a DVD player you will pay a lot more for a higher end system. One of the most important things to look for is how you are going to navigate through all of your MP3 files, especially while driving. If you have a large library of music, you will need to find an MP3 player that makes browsing through the discs as easy as possible. Many discs can hold up to about 250 songs, and it’s crucial that you can find exactly what you’re looking for as quickly as possible. One of the most reasonably priced MP3 player’s Pioneer makes is the DEH-P5500M, which costs around $270 and allows you to organize files by artist, track, folder name, file name, and album. It also has satellite radio and CD changer controls. It’s also imperative that you check that the discs you use on your computer for music are compatible with the ones for the MP3 player, otherwise you might end up with a library of music that won’t play in your car. ID tags to identify songs must be a certain version compatible with the car’s system, or you’ll end up with a lot of unusable music. If you figure out what you’re looking for, you can make an educated decision about which system will best suit your budget and your listening needs.

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Save Gas With A Hybrid: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid

Starting at $22,150, the 2006 Honda Civic hybrid is a great choice for any car buyer who seeks a safe, attractive, environmentally-friendly vehicle at an affordable price. Honda retooled the Civic hybrid to make it even better than before. Standard features include an 8-valve 4-cylinder gasoline engine, anti-lock brakes, front and side cushion airbags, a sleek, multi-tier panel and a top-notch audio system. Like all hybrids, the 2006 Civic combines a gas engine, powerful battery and electric motor to achieve maximum mileage and reduced emissions. The 2006 Honda Civic hybrid can cruise using only its electric motor in particular driving conditions. This makes it a “full hybrid” vehicle. As far as gas mileage goes, the Civic hybrid gets 49 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway. This is a slight improvement from the gas mileage of the 2005 model. The 2006 Civic hybrid's electric motor produces 20 horsepower. The battery pack used for storing energy is 158 volts, increased from the previous year. The 2006 Civic hybrid offers seating for five and is considered a compact sedan. Sleeker and more attractive than the 2005 Civic hybrid, the 2006 model is great for anyone seeking a sportier hybrid car. As far as power goes, the combined gas engine and electric motor of the 2006 Civic hybrid produce 115 horsepower, an increase of 23 percent from the 2005 model. If you think the 2006 Honda Civic hybrid might be the right car for you, the next step is finding a reputable dealership. You can search for dealerships in your area using the Yellow Pages or the Internet. It's a good idea to visit more than one dealership before deciding which one should have your business. Make sure your salesperson is knowledgeable and friendly without being overly aggressive. And always take a test drive to make sure the vehicle you think you want to purchase feels right to you.

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Women 'More Concerned About Fuel Increases'

The results of a poll held in Australia have found that women drivers are more concerned about the costs of fuel than men. Women, whose greater consideration for safe driving in many cases results in much lower car insurance premiums, also appear to be more considerate when it comes to the costs of petrol, according to the survey from NEWS.com.au and Coredata. Some 86 per cent of women motorists said they were worried about the ever rising price of petrol, compared with a slightly lower 80 per cent of men. Furthermore, 66 per cent of women surveyed said they were trying to economise on their overall petrol usage, while only 59 per cent of their male counterparts, who will generally pay higher car insurance premiums, said the same. Almost half of women drivers revealed that they were looking to purchase a small car. Those shopping for female car insurance could benefit from such a move, as small cars generally have smaller car insurance premiums. Contrastingly, under a third of men said they were considering buying a small car. Petrol price worries are not unique to Australian women drivers - both male and female British drivers may have felt the strain on the pocket of rising fuel costs over the last few years. And like in Australia, many men and women drivers in Britain may also be considering purchasing smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles to cut costs. Buying a new car often provides a good opportunity to review car insurance policies and some providers specifically offer motor insurance for women, given their statistically better safety profiles. A survey earlier this year from the car manufacturers ‘Chrysler Group’ found that men and women drivers felt differently about the standards of each other's driving, despite the fact they agreed on aspects of driving itself, such as evading objects and bad weather.

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