 Pit Stop Blog
Your Maintenance Makeover — Don't Forget the Details!
by Kaeli Gardner
VehicleMD Contributing Writer
Originally published in Spring 2012 Issue
When it comes to vehicle maintenance, most of us know the broad strokes: oil changes, tire rotations and the like. Today, though, I want to spend some time on a few pieces you may not think about—but you should. The devil’s in the details, after all.
Belts. Your vehicle may have any number of belts under the hood, especially if it’s an older car. You may remember seeing a tangle of the things in your family car growing up. Most newer cars, however, have simplified the whole mess down to two belts: the serpentine belt, or S-belt, and the timing belt.
The serpentine belt provides power to almost everything in your engine: the air conditioning compressor, power steering pump, cooling fan and air injection pump, to name a few. S-belts can fail as they age, particularly as they approach 50,000 miles, so if you haven’t had yours seen to, there’s no time like the present. The S-belt is about an inch wide, black, and has little ridges running along the side. Your technician will look for little cracks in the belt—those happen naturally as the belt wears, and can weaken it. Replacing it is easy, and a pretty affordable piece of preventive maintenance that could save you a bundle down the road.
The timing belt is even more critical. It’s a belt with lots of little plastic notches on it, which allows the crankshaft to turn the camshaft. In other words, it makes your engine “go.” If the timing belt fails, your engine stops dead—which can cause catastrophic damage. That sounds pretty scary and, well, it is, but the good news is that timing belts are pretty resilient little guys. Still, they do wear over time like any other moving part, and should be checked, if not replaced, around the 50,000-mile mark.
Hoses. Much like belts, your vision of engine hoses, much like mine, probably involves a tangled mess of black rubber in your family car growing up, and things here haven’t simplified as much as belts. There are still a bunch of hoses, but thankfully you can ask your technician to check them for damage and weak spots. Your technician will lightly squeeze the hoses and feel for “squishy” spots, especially near the clamps. The hose should be firm, but not completely hardened either. They’ll also visually inspect the hoses for cracks. Replacing a hose before it fails saves inconvenience and potential further damage to your engine.
Finish. Yes, that means the outside. Keeping your finish properly maintained means more than just looking good. Your finish is your car body’s one and only defense against the enemy of everything metal—rust. I asked one of our trusted AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly professionals to spell this one out for you:
“Rust will spread through your car like cancer if you don’t protect your finish. It’s critical to have your car washed and waxed regularly to avoid corrosion. Keep your vehicle’s underside as clean and dry as possible, as well. Keep a look out for foreign materials including salts, road oil, tree sap, bird droppings and chemicals, and remove them as soon as possible.”
This tip comes from Domenico Nigro of Nigro’s Auto Body in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He repairs damage caused by rust and takes steps every day to protect against its advance.
I hope this article has illuminated a few of the more forgettable areas of vehicle maintenance for you—without scaring you too much. If your vehicle hasn’t had its belts or hoses checked lately, ask your technician to give them a good once-over.
KAELI GARDNER lives in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee where she works as a writer, artist and web marketing manager for Ask Patty, helping to empower women nationwide to take control of their own vehicle repair. You can read more of her wisdom and wit at the AskPatty.com blog.
WORDS FROM OUR CUSTOMERS
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for the wonderful experience I had at your Pit Stop location here in Glenwood. I had to bring my Volkswagon Beetle in for an oil change as I was told by my husband Scott - that it had no oil. I called and spoke with two very nice gentleman who told me to just bring it in and they would take care of me.
I pulled in and didn't even get out of my car before the two men met me outside. Donny knew who I was as he had remembered the phone call. Being a woman I get skeptical about the care I may receive and the amount it may cost me as we generally are not "car smart".
I was taken care of in an incredibly professional and friendly manner. Something I have yet to experience when taking my car ANYWHERE. I was quoted a price and told my oil change would be done quickly. I left for lunch and came back to find my car very well taken care of. Not only did the oil get changed, but they also checked my tires and filled the air up. When it came time to pay I was happy to see that the price was what I was quoted and then offered a ten percent discount if they could put a Pit Stop sticker in my window - to which I had no objection. I also got a coupon for a free car wash and was told I would receive ten percent off any future visits and that I could bring my car in anytime to get it checked if going out of town or if I had concerns. An older gentleman walked in while I was there and needed Donny's assistance. Donny stopped what he was doing and immediately helped the gentleman.
When you have employees such as these that truly care and exude the friendly happy attitudes that I was fortunate enough to experience it leads me to believe that you treat them well and they in turn treat their customers well.
Please let them know that in times like these it is refreshing to enjoy (if that is possible) having the necessary things that cost money done to your vehicle. My husband and I are customers for life and I have already told my family and friends about you and will continue to do so.
Thanks again and have a prosperous New Year.
Kristina
The Long Haul:
Five Tips to Extend the Life of Your Vehicle
by Kaeli Gardner
VehicleMD Contributing Writer
Originally published in Winter 2011 Issue
Don't Neglect Service
You didn't get to 100,000 miles by putting off those service visits, so don't start now! Higher mileage vehicles need service more than ever. Keep up with those oil changes as recommended in your manual, every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, and keep an eye on other parts as well, particularly brakes and tires.
Take it Easy!
Did you know that the difference between driving 50mph and 70mph means your car is working twice as hard? It's true—I won't bore you with the math, but in order to overcome drag caused by wind, the energy required to move at 70 is twice what's required at 50. Taking your commutes a little more slowly will give you better gas mileage, reduce wear on your brakes from slowing and stopping, and of course, prolong the life of your engine.
Tend to Your Tires
Keeping your tires rotated, inflated and properly maintained is essential to the life of your car, whatever the mileage, and as your vehicle ages the way your tires wear may change too. If your tires start to wear unevenly or if you feel the car shake, shimmy or pull to one side while you drive you probably have some balance or alignment issues to look into.
Properly inflated tires mean good gas mileage and that means less work for an aging engine, too, so see that they're inflated to the specs on the inside of the driver's side door, and remember to prolong the life of your tires by rotating and balancing every other oil change.
It's All in the Timing
If your car has a timing belt, you'll want to replace it at the recommended time (60,000 miles for many models—check your owners manual to be certain). An aging belt can cause engine problems, and a damaged one can leave you marooned— or worse, cause serious damage to your engine.
Lookin' Sharp!
Finally, don't neglect the looks of your car. You'll want to make sure you give the outside of your car as much TLC as you give to the moving parts under the surface. Of course, this is about more than just looking good—washing and waxing don't just preserve your shining finish, they help keep rust at bay, and that is good for everything under the surface, too.
By following these tips, your owners manual's instructions, and talking with your trusted service technician, you and your car could have a brilliant future together. So keep one eye on the service lane, and enjoy those golden years together!
KAELI GARDNER lives in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee where she works as a writer, artist and web marketing manager for Ask Patty, helping to empower women nationwide to take control of their own vehicle repair. You can read more of her wisdom and wit at the AskPatty.com blog.
Q: What are some of the effects of magnesium chloride to my vehicle?
A: Pit Stop: Magnesium Chloride or "Mag Chloride" is a salt compound used to melt ice and snow on the roads. Advantage is that it really works, disadvantage is it can be detramental to the vehicles exterior and mechanical components. Mag Chloride not only melts ice and snow it also breaks down rubber, plastic and many kinds of metal. The bonding agent used to stick the chemical to the road also makes it stick to all surfaces of the vehicle. This causes many problems; 1) when taking the wheels off of the vehicle the wheel will tend to stick to the hub rusting the two together makeing it almost impossible to take off. Pray that you don't get a flat if you haven't washed your vehicle. 2) Mag chloride will stick to your paint and the longer it stays on the car the longer it will take to get it off. 3) Mag will stick to the brakes and eventually rust them out making the braking system unsafe. "The result of mag chloride and failing to remove it from vehicles might result in serious accidents involving cars or even school buses" Dr. Jacob Stiglich, a Breckenridge-based corrosion consultant. Recommendation; Wash your vehicle within 24hrs after the roads have dried or after you've driven through mag soaked roads, making sure to spray inside the rims, brakes, and undercarriage if possible. Remember the longer mag stays on the car the worst it gets.
Q: What are some important things to check for the winter season?
A: Pit Stop: Some important things to check before the coming winter season are; 1) Make sure your tires are right for the conditions and the tire pressure is right for the vehicle. Each vehicle depending on the drivetrain 2wd or 4wd, needs to have the right tires for the conditions. All season tires generally have a more dense rubber to extend mileage life. Whereas snow tires tend to be softer, decreasing the tread life but haveing better traction for colder temperatures. The pressure in the tires is also as important especially in vehicles equipped with a TPMS system or tire presure monitoring system. The colder temperatures cause a drop in tire presure signaling the tire light to indicate on the dash. 2) Make sure your battery is holding its charge. The average battery life is any where between 3 to 5 years, so it is important to know how old your battery is and if it needs to be replaced. 3) Make sure your wiper blades are in good condition and washer fluid is filled with cold weather fluid that won't freeze. Wiper blades typically need to be replaced twice a year, and most retailers provide the right fluid for Colorado weather. 4) Keep up with regular maintenance. A well maintained car is a dependable car.
Q: What can I do to improve general MPG (miles per gallon) on my vehicle?
A: Pit Stop : A general rule of thumb is the gas you put in your vehicle. All gas stations are different each one having a better or worse effect on average mile per gallon. You may notice that you will get a different outcome of total miles per tank depending which station you choose. My word of advice is to try different stations and see which one gives you the best results of total miles per tank. Keeping up with all preventative maintenance recommended by the manufacturer as well as using the recommended tire pressure will also help average MPG.
The Pit Stop Auto Care Center
970-945-1118
Email your questions or comments to thepitstop@qwestoffice.net
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