VMD_2010-3 by VehicleMD

VehicleMD 24 WAYS SUMMER TO PAMPER DRIVING YOURISSUE FAMILY CAR

A Driver's Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Car

www.vehiclemd.com

HELPING YOU… Sip Gas 

GIVE ‘ER THE GUN

Run Forever  #1

CARE FOR YOUR #1 RIDE  SPAGHETTI & SLUDGE

Support a Cause WIPERS THAT DO MORE THAN CLEAR RAIN 

Be Healthy in the Seat A BREATH OF FRESH, HEALTHY AIR 

Be Safe on the Road KEEP YOUR TIRES SECURELY ON THE ROAD 

Know Your Stuff AN OIL CHANGE FROM YOUR iPHONE  CHOOSING THE RIGHT MOTOR OIL FOR YOU 

Store Copy: Please Do Not Remove From Waiting Area Fall 2010

High Performance?

Or high mileage?

Available in 5W-30, 10W-30 and 10W-40 vis grades.

Available in OW-20, 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30 vis grades.

Two great ways to offer a high level of protection, without the high price. CITGO® SUPERGARD® SYNTHETIC is a fully synthetic motor oil at a better price. SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC is a premium quality product designed to provide the ultimate protection for high-performance gasoline engines. Even turbocharged and supercharged models. SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC prolongs engine life by reducing wear and minimizing oil breakdown, and is compatible with all conventional and synthetic motor oils. For high-mileage engines, there’s CITGO SUPERGARD UltraLife™. Specially formulated for vehicles with 75,000 or more miles, SUPERGARD UltraLife conditions and seals older engines, protecting them against excessive wear, helping to prevent leaks and enabling you to get the most out of your car. Check out SUPERGARD UltraLife and SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC from CITGO. They couldn’t come more highly recommended.

more protection for people

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VehicleMD

EDITOR'S NOTE

Staff:

Steve Hurt, Publisher

Barbara Tinsley, Associate Publisher Garrett McKinnon, Editor Tammy Williams, Features Editor

Roy G Biv

Sheila Beam, Advertising Director Misty Dolan, Production Director Eliseo Torres, Sales & Marketing Director Julie Cain, Advertising Sales Mai Lee, Circulation Manager Bethany Hurt, Staff Assistant Dominique D’Alise, Office Assistant 4418 74th St. #66 Lubbock, TX 79424 800.796.2577 or 806.762.4464 Fax: 806.762.4023 E-mail: info@vehiclemd.com Published four times a year by NOLN, Inc., 4418 74th St., Ste. 66, Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Postage Paid at Shepherdsville, KY. Postmaster: Send address changes to VehicleMD, 4418 74th St., Ste. 66, Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Editorial information: info@vehiclemd. com © Copyright VehicleMD 2010. Reproduction is allowed only with permission of the editor. Views expressed by columnists and guest writers do not imply VehicleMD endorsement. Every attempt is made to provide accurate and reliable information. VehicleMD will not assume liability for any products or services described or offered herein, nor can VehicleMD verify accuracy of advertising claims made herein. The purpose of VehicleMD is to educate automotive service customers about the maintenance services available to them. Additional copies — Interested parties may purchase additional copies of VehicleMD, including bulk quantities. E-mail Mai Lee for more information: circulation@vehiclemd.com Advertisers — Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Julie Cain for display advertising deadlines and other information: jcain@vehiclemd.com Internet — Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Eliseo Torres at advertising@vehiclemd.com for information. All correspondence and inquiries should be directed to our business offices: 4418 74th St., Ste. 66 Lubbock, TX 79424-2336 Phone: 800.796.2577 or 806.762.4464 Fax: 806.762.4023 E-mail: info@vehiclemd.com

Fall 2010 Volume 2, No. 3 ISSN 1948-4674 About the cover: Special thanks to Melanie Pittman, owner of Freshly Pic’d Photography and Robbie, Misty, Allison and Peyton Scott.

Do you know the best thing about rain? I’m pretty sure it’s rainbows. They’re absolutely beautiful. Thanks to all the rain we’ve had in our part of the world this year, I had the chance to witness a full, double rainbow, and it was quite a site to see. When I was growing up, I could never remember the order of the colors in the rainbow, until I learned a handy little pneumonic device—Roy G Biv; hence, the title of this piece. If you haven’t learned it yet, here you go: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Now you’ll never forget the order again! If you flip through the pages of this issue of VehicleMD, you’ll notice it resembles a rainbow. The article in our special pink section, “Support a Cause,” explains how you can help support breast cancer research. So if you’re not up for participating in a Race for the Cure 5K run, you can buy a new pair of wiper blades to do your part. This is especially important since breast cancer awareness month will be here before we know it. (It’s October by the way!) You’ll also see that our “Know Your Stuff ” or purple section (which just happens to be my mom’s favorite color) is quite extensive this month. It starts out with a high-tech way to find an oil change center, but the majority of the section is dedicated to educating you about the history of oil change intervals and how to know which interval—and which oil—is right for you. It’s a good read, and I guarantee you’ll learn a lot; I did! Next time you see a rainbow, stop and admire it for a minute. It truly is one of Mother Nature’s special gifts. Until then, enjoy VehicleMD, and remember you can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Share your pictures of rainbows with us, and I promise to share any shots of a spectacular rainbow if I see one!

Tammy Williams editor@vehiclemd.com www.twitter.com/vehiclemd twitter.com/vehiclemd

www.facebook.com/pages/ facebook.com/pages/ VehicleMD/146175132003 VehicleMD/146175132003

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VehicleMD

WHAT'S INSIDE: FALL 2010

M ake Y our C ar S ip G as

6 Give ‘er the Gun

Accelerating into traffic can be scary, but not if you have a clean fuel system. Plus, a clean fuel system can help increase your fuel mileage.

8 Five Ways to Use Less Fuel

With these easy tips, you can help your fuel go further.

K eep I t R unning F orever 10 Built to (Make Your Car) Last

Make a lasting impression with synthetic motor oil.

12 #1 Care For Your #1 Car

Protect your favorite family ride for generations to come.

14 Happy Days

Is your car as cool as The Fonz?

Find out how to clean up your engine’s stuck-on mess.

Putting off auto maintenance is not a good idea—find out why.

S upport A C ause 20 Wipers That Do More Than Clear Rain Can your windshield wipers help find a cure for breast cancer?

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Company Name

AOCA AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil AutoTex PINK Castrol CITGO Lubegard by International Lubricants Lucas Oil Products, Inc.

4 VehicleMD

Page No. Phone No.

36 13

800.333.5823 800.342.2512

Company Name

Website

31 800.331.0329 www.aoca.org 5 800.777.8491 www.amsoil.com 21 www.myautotexpink.com 11 888.227.8765 www.castrol.com/us 2 800.992.4846 www.citgo.com www.lubegard.com www.lucasoil.com

in the

S eat

22 A Breath of Fresh, Healthy Air

Tell your coughing and sneezing adios by installing a new cabin air filter.

B e S afe W ith ... 24 TLC: 7 Ways to Keep Your Tires Securely on the Road

Don’t neglect your tires; they’re crucial to your safety.

K now Y our S tuff 26 An Oil Change from Your iPhone Find out how a new app can revolutionize your oil change.

28 History of Vehicle Service Intervals Are you a history buff? Find out where your service intervals originated.

30 What Service Interval is Right for You

16 Spaghetti & Sludge

18 Maintenance Procrastination

B e H ealthy

We break down the tricky business of choosing your appropriate service interval.

32 KISS: Choosing the Right Motor Oil for Your Vehicle is Simple

When choosing your motor oil, all you have to do is keep it super simple.

T he B ack P age 34 Eight Items to Keep In Your Car

Keep these items in your car and be prepared for anything life throws your way. Page No. Phone No.

myBeepBeep Media, LLC Penray Companies Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc. Sea Foam Sales Company Shell Oil Company - Pennzoil Smart Blend by Life Automotive Products, Inc.

Website

27 15 35 17 19

866.987.9911 www.mybeepbeep.com 800.323.6329 www.penray.com 800.669.5740 www.ecopoweroil.com 800.536.4812 www.seafoamsales.com 800.416.1600 www.pennzoil.com

888.422.9099

www.smartblend.com

You lead a busy life, and oil changes are a hassle. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just one reason more and more people are switching to AMSOIL extended life synthetic motor oils... the convenience of changing oil less often while remaining confident that their engines are being protected. By changing oil less often youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also helping reduce packaging waste and creating fewer used lubricants to dispose of, keeping the world greener. You also benefit from a cleaner operating engine and easier cold starts. Since 1972 AMSOIL has been the leader in synthetic lubricant technology, and there has never been a better time to switch. AMSOIL is good for your car, the environment and your schedule.

Simplify your life. Choose AMSOIL.

1-800-777-8491 www.amsoil.com www.amsoil.com

Accept no substitutes.

Sip Gas With…

Multi-Part Fuel System Cleaning

Give ’er the Gun

Make Sure Your Car’s Performance Is Up to Snuff Before You Accelerate Into Traffic

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer Memory fails to recall exactly when or why it started, but one of my four-year-old son’s favorite bedtime songs is the U.S. Air Force Hymn. You know, “Off we go, into the wild blue yonder…” His favorite part is later on in that first stanza, a reprise that goes “Give ’er the gun, now,” and always seems to crack him up. He’s even taken to singing that when it’s time to merge onto the freeway, a rather apropos use of the term, I have to admit. After all, merging onto a packed freeway can be an experience in white-knuckle driving these days. The gap between cars and trucks zooming at high speeds down narrow lanes of concrete might be razor thin, but miss that gap and you might have to wait a while before the next one. Which is why today’s cars need every bit of horsepower they can muster. Unfortunately, the very same high-speed, hard-acceleration driving many of us have to endure is the very same type of driving that can lead to major carbon buildup. “Carbon deposits build up over time. Depending on the grade of fuel you use, and the conditions and way in which you drive, they can form rapidly,” said Steve Farr, vice president of Smart Blend Synthetics. “For instance, you’ll probably have a quick buildup of deposits if you are in stop-and-go driving. Carbon buildup is a byproduct of unused or unburned fuel. When you let off the accel-

6 VehicleMD

erator—especially if you do so quickly—fuel drips out and burns, forming carbon.” This carbon can coat your engine’s valves and even clog the fuel injectors, robbing the engine of precious horsepower—horsepower that you use to bring you and your family safely to freeway speed.

“

One fuel system cleaning every 15,000 miles can more than pay for itself in improved fuel economy.

”

“If you have a vehicle loaded down with kids, and your vehicle has 60,000 miles on it and you’ve never cleaned your fuel system, you can dart into traffic and give the vehicle some throttle, but it hesitates,” Farr said. “If the throttle responsiveness isn’t there, it affects your safety.” Fortunately, most auto service facilities can

perform a thorough fuel system cleaning service. Just what is thorough? In most cases, it’s described as a multi-step fuel system cleaning service. “A multi-stage fuel system cleaning generally consists of an intake system cleaner that will clean the upper engine and combustion chamber by removing carbonaceous deposits and improving fuel system operation,” Farr said. “The second stage is generally going to be a fuel tank additive that normally treats 18 to 24 gallons of fuel. It’s generally a one-tank cleanup process that is going to promote cleaning through the fuel lines, fuel pump and what we call ‘through-cleaning’ for the fuel injectors. Combined, the products can create a third stage, which cleans the fuel injector tips.” Not only can this service improve throttle responsiveness, allowing you to get on the freeway that half-second quicker, but it can also improve fuel economy. “One fuel system cleaning every 15,000 miles can more than pay for itself in improved fuel economy,” Farr said. So the next time you’re poised at the start of an on-ramp, facing what seems like a neverending wave of traffic, remember that a complete fuel system cleaning can provide tangible benefits when you “give ’er the gun.” 

www.smartblend.com

Sip Gas With…

Fuel Saving Tips

2 3

4 5 8 VehicleMD

Ways to Use Less Fuel

What’s your pressure?

Tires lose about 1 psi (or pound per square inch) of air pressure per month. Under-inflated tires have more rolling resistance, which means you need to burn more gas to keep your family car moving. Ever watch your kids trying to ride a bike with a flat tire? It makes them work a lot harder—it’s the same with your car. A tire that is underinflated by 2 psi can reduce fuel economy by 1 percent.

Ease off the gas

As speed increases, fuel economy decreases exponentially. Driving 62 mph versus 75 mph will reduce fuel consumption by about 15 percent. You’ll save a lot of fuel and your journey won’t take much longer.

Get some fresh air

When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine, forcing more fuel to be used. However, driving with your windows open, especially at highway speeds, increases drag and results in decreased fuel economy. A good rule of thumb is to roll down the windows—when the temperature allows, of course—at speeds below 40 mph to save a little extra on gas.

Be sure it’s secure

Lighten your load

Make sure your fuel cap is secure and not damaged. Improperly sealed fuel caps allow 147 million gallons of fuel to vaporize every year in the United States.

Between family vacations and hauling kids to soccer practice, it doesn’t take much to acquire an extra 40 or 50 pounds of stuff. The more weight your vehicle has to carry around, the more fuel it burns. To help save fuel, leave the things at home that you don’t need this trip, and reload it when you do need it.

US BON TIP

Ask your technician

A dirty air filter makes it harder for the engine to breathe, which harms performance and economy. Changing an extremely dirty air filter can improve a vehicle’s gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. So, ask your automotive technician if your air filter should be replaced.

www.vehiclemd.com 9

Run Forever With…

Synthetic Motor Oil

Built to (Make Your Car) Last Synthetic Motor Oil Can Keep Your Car’s Engine in Tip-Top Shape by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

“

For the best protection available in engine oil, synthetic is the way to go. Timothy Miranda, Castrol

”

10 VehicleMD

hink about when you first bought your car. How clean and shiny it was. How fragrant it smelled (in a good way—we hope— in case you bought a used car). How smooth it ran. But chances are if you’re like most Americans, you need that car to last. And last. And last. Because, let’s face it, most of us aren’t trading our cars every three or four years like we used to. Instead, folks are holding onto their cars for seven, eight, even nine years or more. In fact, did you know the average car on the road today is more than 10 years old? With that in mind, more drivers are thinking of ways to protect their cars for the long haul. Your car might not always be clean, shiny, fragrant (in that good way) or smooth, but you can give the engine the very best in protection. How? Synthetic motor oils are specially crafted to provide the very best protection you can give your car. Basically, synthetic motor oil is engineered at the molecular level to be more robust than conventional motor oil. What does this mean for you, the driver? According to Timothy Miranda, a senior engineer with Castrol, synthetic motor oil’s increased robustness keeps it from evaporating (a property lubricants engineers call “volatility”) as easily as conventional oil. Synthetic is also able to better resist attack by contaminants within the engine that oxidize and thicken the oil. This property allows it to perform its primary duty of protecting the various components inside the engine even better than conventional motor oil. You name the property, synthetic

motor oil is superior in just about every way. More auto manufacturers are jumping on board the synthetic bandwagon, as well. Today, companies like Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Volkswagen, Toyota, Chevrolet, etc. all recommend (and require, in some cases) the use of synthetic motor oil in all or some of their vehicles. Why? Because they realize that there is simply no better motor oil on the market than synthetic motor oil, especially given that your car’s engine is being worked like never before. “Today’s demanding driving styles, combined with today’s hard-working engines, are tough on engine oil. Stop-and-go or city driving, short trips, excessive idling, towing or hauling, and extremely hot or cold weather—these conditions really stress the oil,” Miranda said. “For the best protection available in engine oil, synthetic is the way to go.” If there’s one complaint we hear about synthetic oil, it is price. True, synthetic motor oil is a bit more expensive than conventional oil, but engines are more expensive today than ever, with replacement engines costing as much as $10,000 on some imported models. Even replacement engines for domestic models can start at $2,500 or more, and who needs that kind of repair bill? If you really want your car to last as long as you need it to, synthetic motor oil really is worth the investment. “A vehicle is a big investment,” Miranda said. “For a few dollars more than a conventional oil change, you can buy synthetic oil, which delivers the ultimate protection for your engine.” 

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY WITH THE FULL LINE OF CASTROL MOTOR OILS.

For more information, please call 1.800.CASTROL www.castrol.com or visit www.castrol.com

Run Forever With…

Pour-In Fuel System Cleaner

#1 care

for your

#1 ride by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

Y a pour-in fuel system “Using cleaner on a regular basis will extend the life of your engine by extending the life of your fuel injectors.

12 VehicleMD

”

Mark Negast Lucas Oil

our family car has held its own over the years. It’s made a few hundred trips to the grocery store, dropped off kids at numerous ballet lessons and baseball practices, and has survived a half-dozen summer road trips. Over the years, your numberone ride might have endured a flat tire, door dings and too many spilled sodas to count. But what have you done to ensure it will continue running until your youngest heads off to college—and you get that little red sports car you’ve been dreaming of? If you want to keep your vehicle running smoothly, a pour-in fuel system cleaner can be just the ticket. A pour-in fuel system cleaner is added directly to the fuel tank. It takes only seconds to install, adding virtually no time to your oil change, and pour-in fuel system cleanings are recommended at least every 3,000 miles. “Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner on a regular basis will extend the life of your engine by extending the life of your fuel injectors,” said Mark Negast, technical director at Lucas Oil. Fuel injectors, just as their name implies, inject fuel into the engine, and it is important that they are kept clean. Deposits of

unburned fuel can form on fuel injectors. These deposits can lead to reduced engine performance—and, in severe cases, can cause your engine to stall. Another added benefit to a pour-in fuel system cleaner is that it can help keep your family safe. “You don’t want to be stranded because your engine failed due to a restricted fuel injector or deposits making their way into your fuel filter,” Negast said. “A pour-in fuel system cleaning can give you a sense of comfort knowing that you are helping your engine run at its peak performance.” Making sure your engine runs at its best is a top priority because we depend on our family cars every day. How else would dad make it to work, mom run errands or kids make it to basketball practice? Using a pour-in fuel system cleaner will help improve your vehicle’s performance, making sure your car runs well for years to come. You’ll be happy to know that the good ol’ family car will keep your youngest son safe when you drop him off at college—and you head home in your brand-new sports car. 

www.lucasoil.com

Run Forever With…

By:

Coolant Service

Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

Happy Days: Making Sure Your Car Keeps Its Cool emember the Fonz? An entire generation of kids in the 1970s and early ’80s (and, yep, that would include yours truly) watched Henry Winkler portray Arthur Herbert Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” on the hit TV show “Happy Days.” From his impeccably groomed hair to his black leather jacket to his confidence with girls, the Fonz was the epitome of cool. It’s good to be cool. Everyone who survived high school knows that. But it’s also true for your car. After all, if your car loses its “cool,” it can mean big trouble. The main function of a car’s cooling system is, not surprisingly, to remove heat from the engine. If this heat is not removed, the engine will be damaged, potentially even destroyed. The cooling system accomplishes its protective duties by circulating coolant— which is a specially formulated liquid, usually a type of ethylene glycol, mixed in equal parts with water—throughout the engine and then back through the radiator, which transfers heat from the coolant into the air that passes through the radiator. However, any time you mix liquid and metal, you tend to get corrosion, so coolant has to be able to treat the cooling system to inhibit corrosion. In addition, when water freezes, it expands. If the coolant mixture inside a vehicle were to freeze, it could expand and rupture vital engine components like the radiator or even the engine block. Once again, coolant has to be able to resist freezing (which is why it is sometimes referred to as “antifreeze”). Industry experts estimate that about 40 percent of engine downtime is caused by cooling system problems, so it’s critically important for both your schedule and your wallet that the cooling system be maintained, which can be done in a couple of different ways.

“First, a coolant flush takes place when old fluid is flushed from the system, cleaning deposits while ridding the system of corrosion and contaminants. Once a flush is complete, new fluid is placed back in the clean system,” said Sarkis Aroyan, a senior engineer with Penray. “Second, a simple solution is to introduce coolant additives to the system. A quality product will prevent corrosion, scale, rust and overheating while maintaining pH levels in the system.” Not all coolants are created equal, something usually denoted by color. “Green coolant, a phosphate and silicate formula, is typically considered the traditional fluid present in most vehicles. It is usually recommended to drain, flush and replace green coolant every two years or 30,000 miles,” Aroyan said. “Orange coolant, a phosphate- and silicate-free formula often referred to as organic acid technology such as Dex-Cool, is considered an extended-life coolant and is found in most GM vehicles. There is an abundance of other colors, like fuchsia, red, blue and yellow, that are variations of different formulas and often designed for specific applications. With all the different colors and chemistries available, it is more important than ever to maintain the cooling system.” Experts recommend that drivers ask their auto service technician to check the color, clarity, freeze point and chemical protection of their coolant at every maintenance interval. These few simple tests can indicate whether the coolant is providing adequate levels of protection. If it is not, the cooling system can either be flushed and new coolant added, or additives can be mixed with the existing coolant to restore its effectiveness. “Because the coolant affects so many parts of a vehicle, a properly maintained cooling system significantly decreases the possibility of vehicle downtime,” Aroyan said. ects "Because the coolant aff a Which is a good thing. After le, so many parts of a vehic all, what could be more “un-cool” ng oli co properly maintained s ase than having a car that’s stuck on cre de y ntl system significa le the side of the road with a cooling hic ve of ity the possibil system problem?  e." downtim Sarkis Aroyan Penray

14 VehicleMD

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by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

Engine Treatment

How an Engine Treatment Can Clean Up Your Stuck-On Mess

Spaghetti

& Sludge

fter spaghetti night your kitchen looks about the same as always, if safely when the motor oil is changed. you’re lucky. But have you ever left the spaghetti mess until mornDid you know your vehicle may be sending you some signals that it’s ing? You wake up to a stuck-on, red sauce battlefield. It could take 20 time for an oil additive? minutes to scrub the pot you heated your sauce in. You might see smoke out the tailpipe, or you might have to add a Believe it or not, the same kind of stuck-on mess can happen in your quart of oil in between oil changes. Also, if you start your car up in the vehicle’s engine. morning and hear a ‘tick, tick, tick’ sound, that’s a sign that the lifters in “There are some engines that are prone to building a lot of oil deposyour engine are coated with varnish and not operating properly. These its,” said Jim Davis, technical service manager for Sea Foam Sales. “It’s in are all tell-tale signs of a problem in your engine that an engine treattheir design. There are certain engines that will cook the oil on the inside ment oil additive can help remedy. of the engine. This leaves a lot of oil residue and can actually just keep “If you put an additive in your oil that will help get rid of oil buildup, building and building.” as well as prevent it all together, you’re going to have a lot less wear and You can think of this situation like spaghetti sauce that gets burned tear on the parts,” Davis said. “When you get an engine that is gummed on the sides of your pot as it cooks. It may seem impossible to get off, up, oil can’t get to everything it needs and you can have a lot of prebut it’s not. Just like dish soap and water can fight the cooked-on spamature oil failures due to excess oil buildup. Anytime you can keep an ghetti mess, an oil additive can help fight the engine clean, it can make your car last longer cooked-on mess inside your engine. and run more efficiently.” You might need An engine treatment oil additive can actuSo whether you went a few hundred miles an engine treatment if... ally dissolve and re-liquefy most kinds of over on your last oil change or you just bought oil buildup. It helps turn varnish, gum, oil a used car with an unknown maintenance his• You see smoke coming out of deposits—or any other gunk that might be tory, an engine treatment oil additive can help your tailpipe. in your engine—back into a liquid. Plus, any clean up the stuck-on mess that may be lurking contaminants trapped in the deposits will be in your engine. • You have to add extra oil filtered through the oil filter. Unfortunately, it can’t do anything for that between oil changes. Since the nasty deposits are liquefied, you pile of dishes in your kitchen sink.  can feel confident that they will be removed

• You hear a "tick, tick, tick"

16 VehicleMD

when you start your car.

Developed in the 1930 s – guaranteed to work as good now as it did back then!

d 100% Pure Petroleum Product d Improves Engine’s Smoothness and Performance d For Use in All Engines including 2-cycle, 4-cycle, and Diesels • Cleans Carbon, Gum, and Varnish Deposits Internally • Cleans Fuel Injectors

d Removes Moisture from Fuel and Oil d Stabilizes Fuel for Up to 2 Years d Frees Sticky Lifters & Rings d Restores Lost Fuel Economy

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Run Forever With…

by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

Regular Preventive Maintenance

Maintenance Procrastination “You may delay, but time will not.”

Benjamin Franklin

t’s hard to believe that with this quote Ben is actually speaking to 80 percent of Americans—about their automotive maintenance habits. The Car Care Council sponsors numerous check lane events throughout the year where customers can have their vehicles inspected from bumper to bumper—at no cost—to determine what components are in need of maintenance. The results show eight out of 10 cars passing through the check lanes failed at least one component of the vehicle inspection process. “Delaying routine vehicle maintenance can have some serious impacts,” said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. White compared routine vehicle maintenance to our own routine physical checkups. A doctor can spot a small problem, such as some plaque buildup in your arteries, that can be taken care of through a few simple steps, thus keeping it from becoming a bigger, more expensive problem that will inconvenience you down the road. Just as your doctor might recommend a statin medication to help reduce cholesterol—from all those years of choosing fried chicken over salads—before it causes a heart attack, your automotive technician might recommend an engine flush to help remove sludge buildup in your engine—from a long-overdue oil change—before it wreaks major havoc. “Vehicle negligence costs money and can be unsafe,” White said. “It’s important to remind motorists that those who treat their vehicles as valuable investments and commit to regular vehicle maintenance, end up saving a lot of money.

“Delaying routine vehicle maintenance can have some serious impacts.” Rich White Car Care Council

“In fact, according to Runzheimer International, the difference in the savings over a four-year period between keeping a car and buying a new one is more than $10,000.” If your vehicle is low on fluids, it can affect the safe driving perfor-

18 VehicleMD

mance of the vehicle and damage internal parts. Nearly three out of 10 vehicles failed the check lane inspections because of low, overfull or dirty engine oil. Low tire pressure decreases gas mileage and tire life, and vehicles with inadequate tire tread are at greater risk of an accident. During the check lane events, 15 percent of vehicles were found to have improperly inflated tires and 9 percent had worn tread and needed to be replaced. Surprisingly, nearly 40 percent of vehicles inspected in 2009 needed new wiper blades. This simple fix can really affect driving safety, and the worst part is you may not realize they need to be replaced until it is too late and the rain is pouring down. These results underscore the importance of preventive maintenance. After all, your vehicle could be one of the statistics. Just because you are delaying changing your oil or replacing your tires doesn’t mean that time is on hold—one more day without an oil change equals one more day for sludge to form. “Don’t neglect giving your car a quick once-over in the driveway or taking it to your service center to have them check over its various parts and systems,” White said. “It’s so inexpensive to have it checked and, if your technician spots something, to have it taken care of. It’s wise to do it on your own time, when it’s convenient for you, at a trusted service facility. It’s a much better option, than finding yourself in an unsafe, awkward and inconvenient situation when you’re out on the road.” 

NEXT-GENERATION PENNZOIL.® TURNS YOUR ENGINE INTO A SELF-CLEANING ENGINE.

NOW CLEANS OUT UP TO 40% OF SLUDGE IN THE FIRST OIL CHANGE.* You know how sludge buildup can affect engine response, longevity, even fuel economy. That’s why we’ve engineered a new generation of Pennzoil ® motor oil that not only helps prevent sludge, but cleans out sludge even better than before.* So feel the clean today with next-generation Pennzoil ® and turn your engine into a self-cleaning engine. Find Actively dissolves even built-up sludge. out more www.pennzoil.com at Pennzoil.com Not just oil, Pennzoil.® *Based on a severe sludge clean-up test using SAE 5W-30. ©2010 SOPUS Products. All rights reserved.

Support A Cause

Breast Cancer Research

by Marcy Watson VehicleMD Contributing Writer

Wipers That Do More Than Clear Rain Y

ou probably don’t think much about your wiper blades until you are driving in the rain. That’s when you remember that it’s time to get a new set. It’s not a fun purchase like buying new shoes or a new golf club. But what if purchasing windshield wiper blades also benefited a cause? That’s "We are on a mission to the idea behind AutoTex PINK raise $25,000 this first where a portion of year and even more next the proceeds from year." the sale of these high quality wiper Paula Lombard blades is donated AutoTex PINK to support those affected by breast cancer and to help fund ongoing research. According to the American Cancer Society, except for skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. As a woman-owned company, AutoTex PINK wanted to find a way to help the cause, so it has partnered with the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation in the United States and the Breast Cancer Society of Canada to support both organizations in their research and

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community outreach efforts. “There are many products that benefit breast cancer, but most are cosmetics or kitchen items,” said Paula Lombard, co-founder of AutoTex PINK. “Women are involved in the decision-making for their cars, so why not offer them a product that they need that also benefits a cause they care about? That’s where the idea for AutoTex PINK came from.” The company has set a goal of raising $25,000 by this October to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. “We launched AutoTex PINK a year ago, so we are on a mission to raise $25,000 this first year and even more next year,” Lombard said. “This is a great way for women to support breast cancer awareness and research while getting a high quality product that they need for their car. We hope women buy a set of the windshield wiper blades and then encourage their friends and family to do the same.” While you might expect AutoTex PINK windshield wiper blades to be pink, they actually come in standard black with a small pink ribbon promoting the cause of breast cancer awareness and research. They are avail-

able in metal or frameless versions and fit over 98 percent of vehicles on the road today. In addition to the windshield wiper blades, the company has also created a community website to build awareness of both the product and the cause. MyAutoTexPINK.com is a one-stop shop for women’s automotive advice including car care basics, detailed automotive buying advice and driving tips. The site also allows members to share photos and stories, communicate with peers about specific issues, even post local and national breast cancer events. “Issues like breast cancer are important to women, so we created the community site to give them a place to come together,” said Lombard. “We want MyAutoTexPINK.com to be a source of useful information about their bodies and their vehicles. Our theme—‘Healthy You/Healthy Car’— is an easy way to help women understand the importance of taking care of themselves and their cars.” AutoTex PINK Windshield Wiper Blades are available at Amazon.com or at many automotive service centers and quick lubes across the United States and Canada. To join the community, visit: www.MyAutoTexPINK.com 

Change Your Blades...

Change a Life!

Metal

Frameless

More Than a Wiper Blade! AutoTex PINK, a woman-owned corporation, has the privilege to give back! A portion of every sale of AutoTex PINK windshield wipers will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation or the Breast Cancer Society of Canada to support breast cancer awareness and research. Visit www.MyAutoTexPINK.com to connect with others about cars, travel, and how we can all work together to “Wipe Out Breast Cancer”!

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Keep Healthy With…

Cabin Air Filter Replacement

A Breath of Fresh, How Cabin Air Filters Keep Your Family Healthy One Breath at a Time by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

hink about the last time you were in heavy traffic. Remember what you got stuck behind, that diesel truck spewing clouds of noxious smoke? Remember the teary eyes and hacking cough that afflicted you while your car filled up with smoke? Or how about your last drive in the country. Remember when you drove past that field of silvery-green plants, only to realize they were ragweed? Remember the sneezing, the runny nose? Psst. Let me share a little secret with you: You don’t have to suffer these things anymore. If your car was built sometime this decade, the chances are good that it was equipped with a cabin air filter. What’s a cabin air filter? Simply put, it’s a filter that cleans the air outside your car before it comes inside. These filters are typically made of an electrostatically charged fiber mat that snatches airborne particles out of the air and secures them to the filter paper—think of them as a surgical mask for your car. Cabin air filters are extremely efficient at what they do, with many types able to remove the majority of airborne particles down to three microns in diameter. In case 22 VehicleMD

you slept through science class (I did), a dot made with a standard pencil is about 200 microns in diameter, so a particle only three microns in diameter is pretty small to say the least. Particles trapped by cabin air filters include pollen, spores, bacteria, exhaust, road dust, soot, industrial dust and smoke or smog, among others. This means the air that enters your car is much cleaner than the air outside, allowing you to breathe easier. Studies have shown that the air inside vehicles not equipped with cabin air filters can have contaminants that are two to six times more concentrated than in the air outside. That’s because your car’s climate control system essentially “vacuums” contaminants from outside, where they are trapped inside your car while the windows are closed. Think about that the next time you’re stuck in traffic. European luxury carmakers were the first to install cabin air filters, but as of 2006 as many as 85 percent of all new cars and light trucks sold in the United States were equipped with these filters. (Want to know a dirty little secret? Even if you didn’t check the “pollen filter” or similarly worded box on the option sheet when you ordered your new car, it’s likely that you can still install a cabin air filter in it—just for much

Healthy Air If a smoking car or flowering ragweed plant has you reaching for a box of tissues, try replacing your cabin air filter. It filters allergens, so you can breathe easier.

less money than the factory would have charged you. Even cars that don’t come equipped with a cabin air filter often are built with the capability of having one quickly and inexpensively installed.) Most auto manufacturers recommend that cabin air filters be replaced about every 15,000 miles, or annually at the least. The service is fairly inexpensive, about $35 depending on your vehicle type, and it generally takes less than 15 minutes. It’s a small price to pay for cleaner, healthier air. Plus, if you’re willing to spend a little extra money, there’s a bonus. Some premium cabin air filters are made with a layer of activated charcoal that can actually filter out noxious gases and odors, capturing particles as small as 1/100th of a micron, or 1/5000th the width of a human hair. This means that not only will you not be breathing that diesel’s exhaust, you won’t smell it either. So ask your automotive service provider if your car has a cabin air filter. Having a new one installed could be your ticket to a breath of cleaner, and healthier, fresh air. 

www.vehiclemd.com 23

Be Safe With...

Tire Tips

TLC:

Ways to Keep Your

ere’s something to think about: The average “contact patch,” or the area of a car’s tire that at any one time is in solid contact with the road, is about the size of an adult’s hand. That’s right, the only thing keeping your car securely on the road are four tiny patches of rubber about the same size as four human hands. That’s not a lot, so it’s important for the safety of you and your family that you make sure those contact patches are as effective as possible. With that in mind, we’ve come up with seven methods you can use to maximize your tires’ contact patches:

GRAB A GAUGE

No other aspect of a car’s tire is quite as critical as proper inflation, yet it’s also one of the most commonly overlooked. While three-quarters of drivers wash their cars monthly, only one in seven correctly checks tire pressure. Under-inflated tires tend to sag in the middle, meaning the car is actually riding on a small contact patch located on either side of the tire. Over-inflated tires, on the other hand, ride on a small contact patch located in the very center of the tire. Either condition means that each tire’s “handhold” on the road is smaller than it should be, ultimately giving your car less grip on the road. That’s why experts recommend checking your tires’ air pressure at least monthly. (If you don’t like getting your hands dirty, many auto service facilities will

do this at no cost, and it usually only takes a minute or so.) The air pressure inside a tire is measured in pounds per square inch (or psi), and it’s not uncommon for tires to lose one psi per month in common use. (Which is why some automakers are now filling tires with pure nitrogen, which tends to maintain pressure longer than compressed air, whose smaller oxygen molecules leak out over time.)

CHECK THE WEAR PATTERNS

Have you ever taken a close look at your tires? And not just the sides while you’re shining them up at the carwash. Examining the tread pattern on your tires can help identify problems long before they become dangerous. For instance, if your tires are wearing more in the middle than at the edges, chances are the tires are over-inflated for the driving and loads you carry. Conversely, if they’re wearing at the edges more so than in the middle, chances are the tires are under-inflated (a much more common problem). Also, you may notice that one edge of a tire is wearing more than the other. This could indicate an alignment problem (although some cars with “sport” suspensions are designed so that their tires ride on their inside edges, which increases cornering ability but also contributes to the tires wearing faster on their inside edges). If you’re not sure you can identify a dangerous wear pattern yourself, ask your auto service technician to help.

ROTATE ROUTINELY

If you glance through the owners manual of just about any car on the road, you’ll find a

24 VehicleMD

Tires Securely on the Road For maximum mileage, rotate your tires every 5,000 miles (8,000 Km). Follow the correct rotation patterns: Rear and Four-Wheel Front-Wheel Drive Drive Vehicles Vehicles FRONT FRONT

installed on a wheel, the tire/wheel combination is “balanced” using a machine that spins the pair and tells technicians where to install wheel weights (those tiny pieces of metal clamped to your wheels) to counterbalance any natural imbalance in the tire/wheel pairing. As tires age, however, that careful balance can get thrown out of whack, meaning it’s a good idea to have your tires balanced at regular intervals. While hard-core experts recommend balancing tires every time they’re rotated, the consensus seems to be that tires should be balanced every second, third or fourth tire rotation, or if you begin to feel any unusual vibration or “shimmy” in the steering wheel.

KEEP EVERYTHING ALIGNED

BACK

factory-recommended interval for tire rotation, generally on the order of every 5,000-8,000 miles—or annually at the very least. Tire rotation involves swapping the front and rear tires, along with crisscrossing the drive tires on most vehicles that do not use directional tires designed to spin in only one direction. This process is important, because it ensures that the tire tread wears evenly, which maximizes tread life. Yep, if you rotate your tires, they’ll last longer and you won’t have to replace them as often. That makes the investment well worth it.

ACHIEVE BALANCE

Ever heard your washing machine start vibrating like crazy? That’s because more clothes have collected on one side than the other, throwing the machine out of balance during the spin cycle. Get the washer out of balance enough, and it’ll literally walk across the floor. Tires are the same way. When a new tire is

Your car comes from the factory with its suspension carefully aligned, meaning all four tires track straight and true in the same direction the car is travelling. (Or at least that’s how it’s supposed to work with new cars!) But stuff happens. You back into a curb. You have a minor fender bender. You hit a pothole you didn’t see. All these things can knock the suspension out of alignment, causing the steering to vibrate and, more importantly, causing the tires to wear unevenly and in many cases excessively. So if your car’s steering doesn’t “feel” right, or if you notice unusual tire wear (like a “scalloped” pattern on the edge of the tires), your car’s suspension could need to be aligned.

TEST THE TREAD

Ever heard of the “penny test”? It’s a quick and easy way to determine if your car’s tires have adequate tread life remaining. Simply grab a standard U.S. penny and turn it upside down so Abe Lincoln’s head is facing the tire. Slip the penny between two of the tread blocks on your tires. If any of Abe’s head is covered up, it means you have at least

2/32nds of an inch of tread, which experts deem is the minimum necessary for safe driving. But, if you can see all of Abe’s head, it’s time to have the tires replaced. Why? As tires wear, the tread blocks become shorter and shorter, meaning the channels between them—which are designed to shed water away from the tire in wet conditions—become shallower and shallower. This reduces the amount of water that can be channeled away, potentially increasing the odds that your car could hydroplane on wet roads and skid out of control. Not a pretty picture. If it is time to replace your tires, experts recommend replacing them in pairs (for instance, if the rear tires are more worn than the fronts, you might just replace the rear tires) or in sets of four. Replacing just one tire makes your car ride unevenly, which could affect how the car steers and stops.

DON’T FORGET THE SPARE

It’s the one item on our cars we often forget until we need it the most—the spare tire. While you won’t have to worry about tread wear issues with the spare, when it comes time to checking the inflation pressure, it’s a good idea to routinely check the spare tire, as well. After all, how frustrating would it be to have to fix a flat tire only to find out the spare is flat, too! The four little handprints your tires make on the road can mean the difference between driving securely or losing traction and possibly having an accident. Help your car’s tires live up to their purpose as best they can by following these tips and showing them a little TLC— “tire” loving care! Editor’s note: For a neat interactive demonstration of the importance of correct tire pressure and maintenance, visit: www.safercar.gov www.vehiclemd.com 25

Know Your Stuff

"Oil Change" iPhone App

an oil change from your iPhone by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

t’s another hectic morning at your house. You put away breakfast dishes, gather up backpacks, dog toys, school lunches, two sons, an ever-spoiled puppy and your always-trusty iPhone. Then it’s jump in the car so you can drop the kids off at school, Scruffy at doggie day care and, hopefully, leave time for a trip to Starbucks before you continue on with the rest of your day. You get everyone buckled up, run through your mental checklist to make sure nothing critical is left at home and turn on your ignition. Ding, ding—there’s that message you’ve been seeing for two days now, reminding you that you need to change your oil. Wouldn’t it be great to get one more thing checked off your to-do list? If only there was a shop somewhere between Starbucks and doggie day care, you could get your oil changed while you enjoy your coffee and Scruffy enjoys a few more minutes with you. That’s when you…reach for your iPhone.

Oil Change allows you to find an automotive service center right from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, without having to drive all over town, make a dozen phone calls or visit website after website. Once again, your iPhone lives up to its title of always-trusty, with a little help from the Oil Change app. Oil Change allows you to find an automotive service center right from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, without having to drive all over town, make a dozen phone calls or visit website after website. Oil Change will automatically map your 26 VehicleMD

area and show you service centers close to you. You can also sort centers by price, distance, services or qualifications. This app can help you save money, as you are able to see instant coupons, deals and incentives from your favorite shops. And, best of all, this data is updated by the shops in real-time. “We’ve all seen the guys standing out by the street with the sign that says, ‘$5 off your oil change right now,’” said Scott McHugh, founder of myBeepBeep Media. “Well, Oil Change is basically a high-tech version of that.” Plus, if you find a shop that’s convenient or a deal you just can’t pass up, you can call the shop right from the app, with just one click.

This app also might come in handy if you find yourself away from home and in need of maintenance work. You can pull out your iPhone, go to the Oil Change app and, voila, it will automatically map the service centers closest to you. “People have the confidence and convenience of choosing from several, reputable shops, whether they’re on a road trip or in their backyard,” McHugh said. If you are one for having your iPhone help you find your next oil change, you can get the Oil Change app by going to the iTunes store and searching Oil Change. Oil Change—it’s a good thing to know to help make your day a little less hectic and give your vehicle the TLC it needs. 

Getting your oil changed should be simple.

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Use the Oil Change app on your iPhone to easily find the best deals near you on oil changes and other quality car care services. TM

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Search by map

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Know Your Stuff

History of Service Intervals

As Time Goes By: A History of Vehicle

very 3,000 miles. It’s a phrase so ubiquitous few drivers have not heard of it. And while it’s a good generic recommendation (for more on which service intervals is best for you and the way you drive, see the article on page 30), how did the automakers arrive at such a nice, round number? To find out, we consulted that vast bastion of information. You know, eBay. More to the point, we searched high and low through the electronic hallways of that online auction house for old owners manuals. Very old. Antique, even. What we found surprised us. Our first owners manual belonged to a 1967 Chevrolet pickup. Forty years ago, Chevrolet recommended an oil change every 60 days or 6,000 miles, whichever came first. Of course, that came with the caveat that vehicles used in “heavy-duty” operation involving “continuous stop-start or prolonged idling” should have oil changes every 2,500 to 3,500 miles. Oil filter changes were recommended every six months or 6,000 miles, unless two-quart elements were used. Those big boys had a recommended replacement interval of 8,000 miles. An owners manual for 1968 Pontiacs

28 VehicleMD

(which included Tempest, Le Mans, GTO, Catalina, Executive, Bonneville, Grand Prix and Firebird models) contained similar intervals, though the 60-day interval had been stretched to four months. In cold temperatures and dusty conditions, Pontiac recommended an oil change every two months or 3,000 miles (though the company noted that operation in a dust storm necessitated an immediate oil and filter change). The 1971 Chevrolet car owners manual recommended oil changes every four months or 6,000 miles, while again adding the caveat that in cold weather, dusty conditions or when used for trailer pulling or commercial use that would cause extensive idling, the oil change interval should not exceed two months or 3,000 miles. In its 1973 Ford Bronco owners manual, Ford recommended an oil change every four months or 4,000 miles, but cautioned that operation in cold weather, driving short distances, extended idling, or low-speed operation could shorten that interval. A Chevrolet truck owners manual from the same year still shows the same fourmonth/6,000-mile oil change interval for “normal” driving and a two-month/3,000-

mile oil change interval for the previously mentioned dusty/cold/short-trip/high-speed/ idling conditions. By 1976, Ford had introduced three separate maintenance schedules: A, B and C. According to an owners manual from a 1976 Pinto (a collector’s item if anyone’s interested), the maintenance schedule that corresponded with a particular vehicle was identified by a decal on the glove box door. Schedules A and B called for oil changes every five months or 5,000 miles, and filter changes every other oil change. “Severe Service Operation” for schedules A and B called for oil changes every two-and-a-half months or 2,500 miles, with filter changes every other oil change. Schedule C called for “normal” oil changes every four months or 6,000 miles, with “severe” conditions every two months or 3,000 miles. Oil filter changes were, again, recommended every other oil change. A 1977 Chevrolet owners manual recommended oil changes every 7,500 miles or 12 months, with filter changes every second oil change if mileage was the determining factor and every oil change if time was. Clear as mud, right? For vehicles operated in dusty conditions, trailer pulling,

Service Intervals extensive idling and short-trip operation in freezing conditions, Chevrolet recommended oil change intervals of three months or 3,000 miles, the first instance we could find of what would eventually become the industry standard (if such a beast ever truly existed). The 1978 AMC owners manual we acquired (anyone remember the Pacer or Gremlin?) recommended oil changes every five months or 5,000 miles for four-cylinder engines and every seven months or 7,500 miles for six- and eight-cylinder engines. For “short-trip” driving (frequent trips of less than six miles), AMC recommended an oil change (no filter change) at even intervals between regularly scheduled oil and filter changes. Somewhat ironically, the company noted that oil consumption of up to one quart every 1,000 miles was not “excessive.” The oldest foreign owners manual we came across was for a 1979 Toyota pickup. Toyota called for oil and filter changes every six months or 7,500 miles, though the manual noted, “under severe driving conditions, more frequent maintenance is required.” No word

on what those severe driving conditions might have been. A 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix owners manual recommended oil changes every 12 months or 7,500 miles for “normal service” and every three months or 3,000 miles for “severe service” that included driving in dusty areas, towing a trailer, frequent idling or short trips of four miles or less in freezing weather. Interestingly, the same manual recommended oil changes every 12 months or 5,000 miles (regardless of conditions) for the optional Oldsmobile-built 5.7L V8 diesel (remember those?). The owners manual for a Datsun 310 compact built the same year recommended oil changes every six months or 7,500 miles, or every three months/3,000 miles in severe conditions defined as short distance driving, extensive idling or driving in dusty conditions. Dust/idling/short trips. A familiar refrain. Ford touted its 1982 Escort as a “world car,” and the owners manual reflected a Europeanlike oil change interval of 12 months or 7,500 miles (with filter changes every other

For vehicles like this 1971 Chevrolet Camaro (far left), General Motors recommended an oil change every four months or 6,000 miles. However, for conditions that included severe cold, dust, trailer towing or commercial use, the oil change interval was two months or 3,000 miles. Ford had introduced three separate maintenance schedules by the time this 1978 Pinto (middle) hit the streets. Schedule A, B or C depended on what type of vehicle/engine combination was used, with schedules A and B calling for oil changes every five months or 5,000 miles. Schedule A and B 'severe' oil changes were recommended every 2,500 miles; schedule C every 3,000 miles (though oil filter changes for "severe" driving were every other oil change). By the early 1980s when this Ford Escort (right) hit the streets, recommended oil change intervals had largely stabilized at the 7,500-mile "normal"/3,000-mile "severe" that automakers used for most of the past two decades. Only now are automakers beginning to significantly extend those recommended intervals.

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer oil change). The “Schedule B” applied to all vehicles with Ford’s 1.6L four-cylinder engine. For severe conditions that included idling, short trips, dusty conditions, trailer towing, cold temperatures (below 10° F) for more than 60 days and sustained high speed driving in hot weather above 90° F, Ford recommended oil change intervals of three months or 3,000 miles. An owners manual for 1984 Oldsmobile vehicles again touts GM’s standby of 12 months/7,500 miles “normal” or three months/3,000 miles “severe.” The 1980s brought us something akin to standardization of oil change intervals. Manuals from a 1986 Ford F-Series pickup, 1987 Mercury Sable, 1987 Pontiac 6000 and 1989 Chevrolet S-10 all recommend what had become a standard (at least for most domestic models) 12-month/7,500-mile or threemonth/3,000-mile oil change interval. If digging through these piles of owners manuals showed us anything, it is that oil change intervals have never been simple. Different manufacturers have always recommended their own oil change intervals, only attempting to match other intervals if they note a perceived disadvantage in the customer service arena. From the monthly intervals most common with vehicles in the 1960s to the willy-nilly days of the 1970s with their myriad interval recommendations to the almost standardized intervals of the late 1980s and beyond, automakers have always chosen their own path. Could the auto industry be returning to a situation similar to the 1970s, when an auto industry “standard” oil change interval was more myth than reality? Only time will tell. Now, anyone know someone who’s in the market for a stack of dusty old owners manuals? 

Know Your Stuff

Appropriate Service Intervals

What Service Interval is Right for You

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

t can all be a bit confusing. The service sticker on your windshield says to come back in three months or 3,000 miles. But your oil change light doesn’t come on for about 6,000 miles. Or you saw that commercial on TV that says using such-and-such an oil can let you go 7,500 miles between oil changes. What’s the right answer to the question, “How often should I have my car serviced?” In a nutshell: It depends. The long and short of such a complex topic is that there are almost as many different types of service recommendations as there are types of vehicles on the road. Each company that builds cars has its own ideas on how often those vehicles should be maintained, and many of those ideas are contradictory. So to help you sort things out, we’ve come up with a few quick questions that can help you determine what service interval is right for you.

30 VehicleMD

How do I drive?

In years past, most automakers recommended two distinct types of service recommendations, “normal” and “severe.” The only problem is that most of us who live in urban or suburban areas predominantly drove in conditions that fell into the “severe” category (like stop-and-go driving, frequent short trips, etc.) even though we considered ourselves “normal.” In more recent years, automakers have attempted to eliminate that confusion by either recommending a single service interval for all conditions (like Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and others do), using a computer program to estimate when you need to have your vehicle serviced (like GM, Honda, Mercedes and newer Chrysler vehicles, which use a dash light to indicate the need for service but don’t actually measure the physical condition of motor oil or other fluids), or using very specific language to differentiate between the “normal” stop-and-go urban driving the vast majority of us do and the “special operating conditions” (as Ford terms it) that require more frequent service intervals. Examples of “special operating conditions,” as defined by manufacturers include: t Repeated short trips of less than five miles in normal temperatures or less than 10 miles in freezing temperatures. t Stop-and-go traffic in hot weather or low-speed driving for long distances. t Driving in dusty conditions or on rough, muddy or salt-spread roads. t Towing a trailer or using a camper or car-top carrier. t Use of E85 ethanol fuel more than 50 percent of the time. t Driving on uphill, downhill or mountain roads. We admit, the terms can be a bit ambiguous, so when in doubt, it’s our recommendation to stick to a shorter interval to keep your vehicle in tip-top shape. Which leads us to our next question:

How much do I love my car?

A lot of the issues revolving around vehicle service intervals simply come down to honestly answering that question. People who love their cars and want to keep them in the best shape possible will definitely want to stick with shorter service intervals— possibly even shorter than recommended by the automaker. Why? Simple. Peace of mind. Your car is an investment. For most of us, it’s the second largest we’ll ever make. And, in today’s economy, most of us are planning to hold on to the cars we have and drive them for a few extra years rather than trade them in. If that sounds familiar, definitely consider keeping your service intervals shorter. After all, it’s not all about the actual oil change. Frequent service also allows your car to be inspected several times per year, giving technicians an opportunity to catch and fix small problems before they become big, expensive problems. Speaking of money, our next question is:

How much do I want to spend?

Several VehicleMD staffers drive European models that have a single service recommendation, but the mileage for that recommendation is such that we might only have our cars in for service once or twice per year. Which is why more than one of us has decided to step up the protection level for our car by investing in synthetic motor oil and up-scale oil filters. Sure, they cost more. But it comes down to the peace-of-mind factor. If we really want the best protection for our cars (and we do), then it only makes sense that we’ll spend a little bit extra to keep them running perfectly. Spending a little more on maintenance now can save you big money down the road when it comes to repairs. 

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www.AOCA.org 800.331.0329 The 3,600 AOCA member fast lube and auto service providers in the United States and Canada are who you can trust. AOCA members go the extra mile to make sure they are offering their customers the very best in products, service and technology. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Professional service at YOUR convenience.â&#x20AC;?

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Know Your Stuff

K-I-S-S

by Tammy Williams VehicleMD Staff Writer

Types of Motor Oil

Choosing the Right Motor Oil for Your Vehicle is Simple

as your wife ever asked you to stop on your way home and pick up a package of diapers? You make your way to the aisle, trying your hardest to remember what that last package of diapers looked like. Once you round the corner all you see are two long shelves full of diapers—packages of every color, shape and size, it seems. You just stand there, for what seems like hours, in awe, but eventually your eye lands on that purple package with the baby on the front that you recognize. You grab it and run as fast as you can away from the diaper aisle. (Well not really, but you sure wanted to, didn’t you?) Or maybe you found yourself on the receiving end of a call from your husband, who is about to head out on his annual golf trip and is short of golf balls. Just like your counterpart, you make your way through unfamiliar territory—this time the sporting goods store—to that aisle of golf balls. Who would have imagined there would be so many different kinds? You are in shock and just stand there looking. Luckily, a salesman walks by, you get his attention and he gets you the ones your husband needs. And you, too, feel like you must run far away from this uncomfortable place. It seems today that there are a hundred choices for everything you need to buy, from diapers to golf balls to motor oil. But don’t worry, the next time your automotive technician asks you what kind of oil change you would like, you won’t have to sit there with a blank look on your face. Here are some easy ways to discern between the different choices you have in motor oil, so you can simply choose which one is right for your vehicle. To meet the needs of modern drivers, most motor oil manufacturers offer four major types of engine oil: conventional, synthetic-blend, full synthetic or high-mileage. 32 VehicleMD

Conventional Motor Oil Like its name states, conventional motor oil is petroleum-based oil that has been refined into a base lubricating oil. That oil is then blended with chemicals called additives that serve different functions, with most motor oils having 10 or so separate additives in a single formulation. Additives keep motor oil liquid at low temperatures; keep contaminants, such as dirt, held in suspension until they can be filtered out or drained out with the old oil; and keep engine parts clean, among other things. A typical quart of motor oil might consist of 75 to 80 percent base oil, with the remainder consisting of the additives package. “If you take a look at the quality levels of different types of motor oils, you don’t have ‘better,’ ‘good’ and ‘bad;’ you have ‘good,’ ‘better’ and ‘best,’” said John Frick, automotive product line manager at CITGO. “Conventional oil fits into the ‘good’ category. “Conventional oil is not a third-class citizen. Today’s conventional oil is an exceptionally good product, and it meets all the necessary requirements.” For most drivers, conventional motor oil will do the trick as far as meeting the needs of their vehicle and driving style. However, there are certain driving styles that will put extra stress on motor oil, which is where the next product on the list comes into play.

Synthetic-Blend Motor Oil As its name suggests, synthetic blend motor oil is a mixture of conventional petroleum base oil and a highly refined synthetic base oil that is specially formulated to achieve certain characteristics. Synthetic-blend motor oil offers a little more insurance than conventional oil, as it is able to protect vehicles that are driven in severe conditions.

“I usually drive from my house to the office or from my house to the airport, and it is 95 percent highway,” Frick said. “This type of driving does not stress an engine as much as severe driving. Severe driving includes stop-andgo driving or frequent short trips. So, if you usually drive in the city, then you most likely fall into the severe driving category.” Also, if you routinely carry heavy loads—like filling your SUV with a group of kids going to soccer practice—or tow a trailer, a syntheticblend motor oil would be ideal. After all, the heavier you load your vehicle, the harder it has to work. Many companies market synthetic-blend motor oils as “SUV, Truck & Minivan” or “Enhanced Durability” formulations.

Full Synthetic Motor Oil Full synthetic motor oil is really the best that money can buy. There’s nothing that protects better than full synthetic oil. Like synthetic-blends, a full synthetic motor oil features a highly refined synthetic base oil. Unlike the blend, however, a full synthetic motor oil is not blended with conventional petroleum base oil—it is made exclusively from synthetic base oil. The advantages of synthetic motor oil are many, especially for those who want the ultimate in protection for their vehicle. Synthetic oil is very good at protecting engines in extreme conditions. Plus it has superior low temperature flow, which helps your vehicle start better and remain protected in cold weather. As automakers work to bring more horsepower out of smaller engines, even more strain is being put on motor oil. This is one of the reasons that several vehicles on the market—including many European models and most new Cadillacs—actually require synthetic oil.

conventional

Conventional motor oil will meet the needs of most drivers in typical driving situations.

synthetic blend

Synthetic blend motor oil is good for vehicles that are worked hard like minivans, pickups and SUVs.

full synthetic

high-mileage

Full synthetic motor oil is great for drivers of luxury, highperformance and other vehicles who need the ultimate in protection.

High-Mileage Oil Older vehicles should not feel left out. There’s a special formulation for them, too. They’re called high-mileage motor oils, and they’re formulated for those older vehicles—usually with 75,000 miles or more on the odometer—that might be feeling the strain from years of use. High-mileage oils have special additives that give extra care to older engines. These additives help condition the rubber and plastic seals inside the engine that may have become brittle and inflexible with age, and they also help protect against oil burn-off. These specially formulated high-mileage motor oils work a little harder than conventional

High-mileage motor oil is specifically formulated for older vehicles (usually with more than 75,000 miles) that might be feeling strain after years of use.

motor oils at meeting the special protective needs older vehicles have—reason enough to choose them if you drive an older vehicle.

KISS

When choosing what motor oil is right for you, Frick suggests using the KISS—keep it super simple—policy. “Selecting the proper oil for your vehicle is not rocket science,” Frick said. “Make sure you understand what grade of oil the vehicle calls for—like a 5W-30. You can usually find this information printed on your oil filler cap under the hood or in your owners manual. Also, in your mind, determine what you want

to get out of your vehicle. If you are going to change your oil at the recommended intervals, you don’t drive in severe service conditions, and you’re not hauling anything, then conventional oil should meet your needs. However, if you want a little more peace of mind, extra protection or if you have a specialty engine, then you might want to upgrade to one of the other types of oil.” Next time you pull up to the bay to get your car serviced, you can say “adios” to those diaper- or golf ball-choosing flashbacks. There’s nothing scary about choosing which motor oil is best for you, as long as you keep it super simple.  www.vehiclemd.com 33

THE BACK PAGE

Be Ready for an Unexpected Surprise

Emergency Items to Keep in Your Car Most of us spend a good chunk of our lives in our vehicles. Hence, there are certain things you should keep in your car at all times, just to be ready for that unexpected flat tire, chilly night or minor injury. Doing so can help make your trip a little bit easier and give you peace of mind. Here are just a few suggestions.

BOTTLES OF WATER:

FLASHLIGHT & EXTRA BATTERIES:

A flashlight is a must if you have a breakdown in the dark, need to look under the hood where sunlight doesn’t always reach or find a lost toy under a dark seat. Keep extra batteries handy too—you don’t want your flashlight dying when you need it.

For those unexpected times when you’re waiting for AAA—or maybe you just have a thirsty child in the back seat.

FIRST AID KIT:

You never know what might happen while you're on the road. So, be prepared for everything from bee stings to scraped knuckles. A basic emergency kit should contain most everything you might need.

WINDSHIELD SCRAPER:

If you live in a climate that sees frost and snow, now is the time to be prepared for it. Make sure you have a windshield scraper in your car because you never know when that first frost will hit.

BLANKET:

This is a must if you live in a cooler climate. Even autumn nights can get pretty chilly.

DUCT TAPE:

It’s been said duct tape can fix anything. If you’re a firm believer, it’s a good idea to keep a roll in your vehicle.

34 VehicleMD

BATTERY CABLES:

HAND WARMERS:

Since they’re so small, they’re easy to throw into an emergency kit or glove box. If you’ve ever tried to change a tire when it’s cold, you’ll know why it’s important to have these. If you haven’t, trust us—they’re a must-have.

We’ve all been there—hearing that click, click, when you turn your key and your battery is dead. Keep battery cables in your trunk for just this reason, or to help someone else out.

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EcoPower uses up to 85% lesss energy to produce than oil refined frrom crude EcoPow wer conserves resoources and reduces depeendence onn foreign crude EcoPower is a synthetic blend to proviide extra protection andd performance EcoPowerr is guaranteed and exceeds manufacturers’ warranty requirements*

Now available nationwide. Ask your retailer about EcoPower www.ecopoweroil.com or visit www.ecopoweroil.com ecopoweroil.com * for vehicles requiring an API SM/ILSAC GF-4 certified motor oil

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Source: ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilder Association)

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Bad plates

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