VMD_2011-1 by VehicleMD

VehicleMD HELP YOUR CAR BREATHE EASILY

| KEEP YOUR TIRES IN SHAPE

速

A Driver's Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Car

www.vehiclemd.com

TREAT YOUR CAR LIKE FAMILY 33 Ways to Give Your Car the Love It Deserves

Decade of Change

10 Years of Automotive Advancement Choosing the Right

SERVICE INTERVAL Store Copy: Please Do Not Remove From Waiting Area Spring 2011

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 get the protection you need without the high price. CITGO® SUPERGARD® Motor Oils are premium quality products that provide excellent protection for high-performance gasoline engines, including turbocharged and supercharged models. SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC oils have an advanced additive system that extends the life of your engine by protecting against build-up and enhancing pumpability even under the most severe conditions. For high-mileage engines, SUPERGARD UltraLife™ is specially formulated for vehicles with 75,000 or more miles. SUPERGARD Ultralife conditions the seals of older engines helping to prevent leaks, protecting them against excessive wear and enabling you to get the most out of your car. Check out CITGO SUPERGARD SYNTHETIC and SUPERGARD UltraLife. Your engine will thank you.

protection

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EDITOR'S NOTE

VehicleMD ®

Staff:

Steve Hurt, Publisher

Barbara Tinsley, Associate Publisher Garrett McKinnon, Editor Tammy Neal, Features Editor Sheila Beam, Advertising Director Misty Dolan, Production Director Eliseo Torres, Sales & Marketing Director Julie Cain, Advertising Sales Dominique D’Alise, Advertising Sales Tommy Mai Lee,Hall, Circulation Advertising Manager Sales Mai Bethany Lee, Circulation Hurt, Staff Assistant Manager 4418 74th St. #66 Bethany Hurt, Staff Assistant

Lubbock, TX 79424 4418 74th St. #66 800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824 Lubbock, TX 79424 Fax: 806.762.4023 800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824 E-mail: info@vehiclemd.com Fax: 806.762.4023 Published four times a info@vehiclemd.com year by NOLN, Inc., 4418 74th St., Ste. 66, E-mail:

Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Postage Paid at Shepherdsville, KY. PostPublished four times changes a year bytoNOLN, Inc., 4418 master: Send address VehicleMD, 441874th 74thSt., St., Ste. Ste. 66, at Shepherdsville, KY. PostLubbock, TX TX 79424-2336. 79424-2336.Postage EditorialPaid information: info@vehiclemd. master: Send address changes2011. to VehicleMD, 4418 74th St., Ste.only 66, com © Copyright VehicleMD Reproduction is allowed Lubbock, TX 79424-2336. Editorial with permission of the editor. Views information: expressed byinfo@vehiclemd. columnists and com ©writers Copyright VehicleMD 2011. Reproduction allowed only guest do not imply VehicleMD endorsement.isEvery attempt with permission of the editor.and Views expressed by columnists and is made to provide accurate reliable information. VehicleMD guest writers do not imply endorsement. attempt will not assume liability forVehicleMD any products or servicesEvery described or is madeherein, to provide accurate and reliable VehicleMD offered nor can VehicleMD verify information. accuracy of advertising will notmade assume liability any products or services or claims herein. Thefor purpose of VehicleMD is to described educate auoffered herein, can VehicleMD verify accuracy of advertising tomotive servicenor customers about the maintenance services availclaims able to made them. herein. The purpose of VehicleMD is to educate automotive service aboutparties the maintenance services availAdditional copiescustomers — Interested may purchase additional able to of them. copies VehicleMD, including bulk quantities. E-mail Mai Lee for Additional copies circulation@vehiclemd.com — Interested parties may purchase additional more information: copies of VehicleMD, including quantities. E-mail Mai Lee for Advertisers — Advertising ratesbulk are available upon request. Please more information: contact Julie Caincirculation@vehiclemd.com (jcain@vehiclemd.com) or Dominique D’Alise Advertisers — Advertising rates available upon request. Please (dominique@vehiclemd.com) forare display advertising deadlines and contact Julie Cain (jcain@vehiclemd.com) or Dominique D’Alise other information. (dominique@vehiclemd.com) advertising deadlines and Internet — Advertising ratesfor aredisplay available upon request. Please other information. contact Eliseo Torres at etorres@vehiclemd.com for information. Internet — Advertising rates are available upon request. Please contact Eliseo Torresand at etorres@vehiclemd.com for information. All correspondence inquiries should be directed to our business offices: 4418 74th St., Ste. 66 All correspondence and inquiries should be directed to our busiLubbock, TX 79424-2336 ness offices: Phone: 800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824 4418 74th St., Ste. 66 Fax: 806.762.4023 Lubbock, TX 79424-2336 E-mail: info@vehiclemd.com Phone: 800.331.3713 or 806.762.4824

I Love My Car, Do You? As you’ll probably notice, the theme of this issue is all about loving your car. Wouldn’t you say it’s fitting since February is the month of love? I’m excited that I get to celebrate my first “married” Valentine’s day with my husband…but I’m sure you don’t want to hear about all of the newlywed gushy stuff. However, there is one thing I want to share: one conversation my husband and I have had a couple times is about how much we love our cars (particularly the one that shows up in this feature from time to time). We’ve said that even if we won the lottery, we would not trade in the Hummer. We might buy a more expensive, faster and flashier ride to keep it company in the garage, but I wouldn’t want to see it go altogether. I guess you could say I just love my car that much. If you haven’t caught a glimpse of it, my vehicle is black. I think it’s hard to beat black cars when they’re freshly washed and waxed. They sure look classy. However after the wind blows—especially when it’s accompanied by light rain showers—those black cars usually don’t look so classy. (We recently had a storm like this in West Texas that some coined “The day it rained mud,” and all the black cars in town didn’t look so spiffy afterwards.) If you need some tips on how to make your ride shine, check out the article on page 26. You can learn the do’s and don’ts of washing, drying and waxing your vehicle. You know I’ll be trying them out. All love stories aren’t perfect, so I will admit the one thing I don’t love about my car is the Tire Pressure Monitoring System alert that lights up when one of my tires is not inflated properly. Sure, it’s a great way to keep you safe, but I get tired of checking my tire pressure on cold mornings only to find that one tire is two psi below where it should be. Does this sound familiar to you? Let me share a secret. If you inflate your tires with nitrogen, your pressure will remain more stable, and you won’t have your TPMS light greeting you as often on those chilly mornings. If you want to learn more, take a look at the article on page 18. Since it’s the season of love, I’m going to make it a point to show my car a little love. Don’t forget to show yours some, too!

Fax: 806.762.4023 E-mail: info@vehiclemd.com

Spring 2011 Spring 2011 Volume 3, No. 1 Volume 3, No. 1 ISSN 1948-4674 ISSN 1948-4674

About the cover: Special thanks to Melanie Pittman, owner of Freshly Pic’d Photography and David and Paula Seim.

Tammy Neal editor@vehiclemd.com www.twitter.com/vehiclemd Find us on:

www.vehiclemd.com 3

VehicleMD

WHAT'S INSIDE: SPRING 2011

K eep I t R unning F orever

10 Show Your Older Car Some TLC

Chances are, you’ve had your vehicle for more than five years, and that it has more than 75,000 miles on the odometer. This qualifies it as a vehicle perfect for high-mileage motor oil.

12 Five Parts of Your Car You Might Not

Know Need Maintenance

Ever heard of ventilated seat filters? Hybridelectric battery cooling systems? These are just a couple of the items that may be in your vehicle that need routine maintenance.

14 Dousing the Flames

There’s a furnace inside your car, and without effective coolant, it could rage out of control.

16 Lowering Your Car’s “Cholesterol”

Believe it or not, your car’s engine can suffer clogging and blocking of critical oil passages. And just like cholesterol is bad for your heart, sludge is bad for your engine. Luckily, there are ways to beat sludge.

M ake Y our C ar S ip G as

18 The Pressure’s On

Eleven things to know about keeping your tires in shape—and saving money in the process.

20 Flowing Freely

How a fresh air filter lets your car breathe more easily, saving you money at the pump.

K now Y our S tuff 22 Decade of Change

Cars have changed a lot in the past 10 years. Don’t believe us? You will after reading this article.

24 Turn Confusion Into Confidence Choosing the right maintenance service intervals for your vehicle.

T he B ack P age 26 Make It Shine

Tips on how to keep your car’s finish factoryfresh.

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Company Name

4 VehicleMD

AOCA AMSOIL INC. Castrol CITGO Lucas Oil Products, Inc. Penray Companies QMI Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc. Sea Foam Sales Company

Page No.

Phone No.

Website

7 800.331.0329 www.aoca.org 5 800.777.8491 www.amsoil.com 13 888.227.8765 www.castrol.com/us 2 800.992.4846 www.citgo.com 11 800.342.2512 www.lucasoil.com 15 800.323.6329 www.penray.com 28 800.255.8138 27 800.669.5740 www.ecopoweroil.com 17 800.536.4812 www.seafoamsales.com

www.amsoil.com

ASK THE DOC

answer auto experts

your questions

TO THE DOC  4  We are going south for the winter, but one

• Wash the car thoroughly, inside and out. Cleaning the outside removes contaminants that can mar the paint over time, and giving the inside a thorough cleaning will remove any crumbs or leftovers that might attract animals. (Most experts say the biggest danger to stored vehicles comes from mice, rats and other animals that might use the vehicle as shelter, which is why some experts recommend sprinkling mouse poison beneath the car, while others insist it’s better to simply use an ample supply of mousetraps set under the vehicle.)

THE DOC SAYS  4 You’re storing your car in the garage,

• Raise the tires. Jacking the car up and storing it on jack stands or concrete blocks (letting the suspension sag) will keep the tires from cracking or developing “flat spots” that will make for a rough ride on your return.

of our vehicles will remain in the garage in a very cold climate from December through April. Any helpful hints to ensure a nice return in the spring? Gary Via e-mail

which is one of the best things you can do for it, according to experts. The concrete floor warms and cools slowly, which does not promote condensation as much as other surfaces. In addition to that, there are several other things you can do to prepare your car for its long winter’s sleep: • Change the oil. Putting fresh oil in the engine will remove much of the condensation from inside the engine, preventing corrosion. • Check the antifreeze concentration. Since you’re in a cold climate, you want to make sure the antifreeze in your car is strong enough to prevent the water/coolant mixture from freezing, which can damage your radiator or other components. • Pour in fuel stabilizer, and drive around for a few miles. This will allow the stabilizer to work its way through all the fuel lines and injectors, in addition to the fuel tank, keeping the fuel from gumming up over the winter. • Remove the battery. Store it in a cool, dry place and it should hold its charge throughout the winter, though you might want to trickle charge it upon your return before you reinstall it.

VehicleMD On Call Have a car question for the VehicleMD “doctor“? E-mail it to: doctor@vehiclemd.com

• Cover the vehicle. Use a waterproof but permeable cover that will allow condensation to pass through (vinyl tarps tend to trap condensation, which can promote corrosion). Covering the vehicle will keep dust and sunlight from marring the finish. If you follow these steps, your car should be good as new when you return home! Hope this info helps!

TO THE DOC  4 What causes the oil light icon to appear when I stop? I

checked the dipstick, it’s okay and I still have another thousand miles before I’m due for an oil change. Michael Via e-mail

THE DOC SAYS  4 The oil light warning in your vehicle is generally

indicative of low oil pressure. This can be caused by a low oil level or, more likely in your case, a failing oil pump. Because you’ve checked the oil level and it appears to be fine, what is most likely happening is that when you come to a stop and the engine rpm drops to idle, the oil pump, which is powered by the engine, is slowing and not pumping enough oil to keep the oil pressure up. This could be harming your engine, and it’s definitely something I’d have a trusted mechanic or auto technician check out immediately!  The advice described above is for informational purposes only. It cannot and should not be used in lieu of an actual, physical inspection and diagnosis by a trained mechanic or automotive technician. The opinions and advice offered herein are not intended to diagnose automotive problems or component failures; they are simply intended to provide information on what could be transpiring. VehicleMD accepts no liability resulting from actions taken as a result of this advice.

Get more information at: www.vehiclemd.com 6 VehicleMD

Changing my oil every 3,000 miles has given me 400,000 miles!

Bob Hackler and his 2004 Toyota Tacoma

“I don’t care what the manufacturers are saying about how you can now drive longer between oil changes.

Find a member near you

www.aoca.org www.AOCA.org 800.331.0329

I am sticking with 3,000 mile oil changes because I know it works and my truck is living proof.” Bob Hackler Dallas, Texas

Stay the course...stick with 3,000 mile oil change intervals.

Car R x

Fantastic Finds for You & Your Ride

Finders Key Purse

Finally—a way to never lose your keys in your bag again. This keychain hooks to the outside of a purse, gym bag or totebag and keep your keys safely inside, while making them easily and quickly accessible. Finders Key Purses come in a variety of designs, including monogrammed and collegiate. www.isntthisclever.com

Amsoil OE Synthetic Motor Oil

Fortified with friction modifiers, Amsoil’s new OE Synthetic Motor Oil is available in three common viscosity grades and is designed to provide better fuel economy compared to conventional motor oil. www.amsoil.com

8 VehicleMD

Car Care Guide

The 56-page Car Care Guide from the Car Care Council covers nine major service occasions and 12 component groups of a vehicle. You’ll also get information about service interval recommendations, fuel economy and environmental awareness. There’s even a maintenance log, so you can keep track of your vehicle’s service history. www.carcare.org

Real Step

For extra protection while getting in and out of your vehicle, try the Real Step. This step installs easily on any vehicle’s three-inch step bar. It covers up the plastic step that comes with most vehicles, thus providing a surface with better traction when it’s wet. It’s also wider than the plastic step, adding to its safety. Also, since it’s 100 percent stainless steel, it will never rust, pit or corrode. www.realwheelstrim.com

Stoner Invisible Glass Wipes

Convenient, easy-to-use wipes clean lenses so well, you’ll think they’re invisible. Cleans all optic lenses including eyeglasses, sunglasses, safety goggles, telescopes, binoculars, camera lenses, video cameras, photocopiers, phone cameras and other optic lenses. Gently removes even oily dirt, dust, handprints, and other difficult grime and leaves no streaks for “invisible” clarity. www.stonersolutions.com

EcoPower Motor Oil

If you’re interested in a motor oil that’s not only good for your car, but also for the environment, check out EcoPower. EcoPower is a re-refined oil, which means it is made from used motor oil. It takes up to 85 percent less energy to produce one gallon of re-refined oil from used motor oil than to produce that same gallon from crude oil. www.ecopoweroil.com

UberTatts Car Tattoos

Wind ‘N Go Emergency Tool

This lightweight automotive emergency tool can, in the event of a crash, shatter side windows, rip through a seat belt, charge a cell phone or signal for help. The Wind ‘N Go is self-powered and recharges for an hour of light with one minute of winding. www.greenostrich.com

If your car needs a little of your attitude, then try UberTatts. These tattoos for vehicles are made of durable vinyl, are easy to apply, won’t ruin a car’s paint and are easily removed. Choose from flowers, hearts, flames, licensed designs from Fireball Tim and Tattoo Johnny, or design your own tattoo for your ride. www.ubertatts.com

Carmen Radio

Super-X Emergency Tire Inflator

Have you ever found yourself with a flat tire, just miles from your service center? You probably didn’t want to wait for roadside assistance and really didn’t want to change the tire, but had no other choice—until now. The Super-X Emergency Tire inflator can seal and inflate your tire, albeit temporarily, allowing you to drive to a professional who can repair the tire permanently. www.penray.com

The Carmen lets you listen to music you may have on your computer, smart phone or iPod through your car radio by using it as an FM transmitter. What’s even cooler is you can record music from an Internet radio station directly onto the gadget—then play it through your car radio. It lets you take your music with you wherever you go. www.livioradio.com

www.vehiclemd.com 9

Run Forever With…

High Mileage Motor Oil

Show Your Older Car Some

TLC

ou’ve been through a lot with your car, and that’s exactly why you love it.

Sure, your odometer may have more than a few thousand miles on it, but you wouldn’t trade your vehicle for a shiny new one any day. And because you love your car so much, it’s important to show it some love. One way to show older vehicles some love is with high-mileage motor oil. It is recommended to start using high-mileage motor oil when the odometer clicks past 75,000 miles (120,000 km). For those motorists who like to get the top level of performance, there are full synthetic high-mileage motor oils available. One of the main functions of motor oil is to cool the engine. So, oil must be able to withstand high temperatures. If the oil can’t take high temperatures, it will break down and form deposits in the engine, making the engine temperature rise. There are also some unique problems that 10 VehicleMD

by Tammy Neal VehicleMD Staff Writer

high-mileage vehicles experience as opposed more stress on the oil. As your oil circulates to newer vehicles. They tend to suffer from oil through the engine, it only gets a certain consumption. Oil consumption can be caused amount of time to rest and recover — and by a number of that’s when factors such as it is in the shrunken engine oil pan. It is recommended to start using seals or worn However, if high-mileage motor oil when the engine parts. your oil is odometer clicks past 75,000 miles. Oil consumption not at the can show up in a proper level, couple different ways. You may see spots of it doesn’t get its allotted time to rest. oil on your driveway, or you may see nothing. This means the oil is always being stressed You may just find that when it comes time to and is always at a high temperature, causing change the oil, the oil level is down a bit. the oil to wear out more quickly. When the oil A few decades ago, drivers would check wears out, that’s when deposits and wear start their oil level at every tank fill up. Now, showing up. These will ultimately lead to a almost nobody looks at the oil level until it shorter life for your engine. is changed. So, it is crucial to use a motor oil Your engine is going to last longer if you in high-mileage engines that helps reduce oil take care of it, and one of the best ways to consumption and ensures you’re not running take care of it is to use an oil that is designed low. specifically for a high-mileage engine. So, Oil consumption puts strain on the oil. If show your engine a little love with high-mileyour engine level is a quart low, there is a lot age motor oil. 

www.lucasoil.com

Run Forever With…

Hidden Maintenance Items

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

Parts of Your Car You Might Not Know Need Maintenance

Your car is a marvelously complex machine, one that performs as you ask it (for the most part) day in and day out through all kinds of weather. All it asks in return is for a little tender-loving care from time to time. Stuff like an oil change. Maybe a coolant flush now and again. Or new transmission fluid at least once in its life.

1. SPARK PLUGS

But chances are good there are a few maintenance items your car might require that you’ve never heard of. Read on to find out what those are.

True, you know your car has spark plugs. But did you know it’s highly likely that your own2. BATTERY COOLING SYSTEMS ers manual says they should Do you drive a hybrid vehicle? If so it is highly likebe replaced every few years or ly your car has a dedicated cooling system for the so. Read your owners manual vehicle’s electronics and/or battery. Some vehicles for details—or better yet ask your (the new Chevrolet Volt, for instance) even have favorite auto service technician for the two dedicated cooling systems, one for the battery 411 about your spark plugs—but the long and short is that most automakers and one for the electric motor. Just like the coolant recommend replacing spark plugs at about in a traditional car’s engine needs to be changed 100,000 miles, and some may from time to time, the coolant in these cooling systems will even require replacement also need replacing at scheduled intervals. Consult 3. CABIN AIR FILTERS sooner. If you’ve ever your owners manual to find out what those If your car was built in the last decade or so, driven a car with a intervals are. chances are fairly good it was equipped with a cabin spark plug that air filter. This filter, much like the one in your house’s heating/ won’t fire (and cooling system, screens dust and debris out of the air entering I have), you’ll your car’s passenger compartment. Many automakers recommend know it is not replacing these filters on an annual basis, and doing so will greatly ima smooth 5. GEARBOX FLUID prove the quality of air you’re breathing while driving. It’s definitely worth experience. You know all about your car’s coolant and asking your auto service technician whether your car is equipped with transmission fluid, but did you know there’s such a filter. another type of oil that most automakers recommend replacing at dedicated intervals? Your car’s gearbox (also commonly called a differential) contains a lubricating oil (and often special additives) that’s heavier than motor oil. This gear oil can wear over time, especially in larger vehicles like pickups or SUVs that do heavy jobs like towing or hauling the family around. 4. SEAT VENTILATION FILTERS In recent years more and more automakers have been equipping vehicles with ventilated seats, i.e. seats that have a built-in heating and cooling system. (They are While this list contains many of the services drivers might especially common in many Nissan, Ford and GM vehicles.) But if you not be aware of, it is by no means comprehensive. The drive a car equipped with one of these comfy seats, you need to know that best way to find out what maintenance services your car the seat’s ventilation system has a filter that needs to be replaced on a requires is to consult your owners manual or ask your periodic basis. The filter acts to screen out dust that can clog the auto service facility to perform a thorough inspection tiny pores that circulate air through the seat. Let that filter based on available service requirements. It’s the best way accumulate too much dust or debris, and your cozy to show your car all the love it needs.  seat may no longer work as advertised.

12 VehicleMD

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

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

Run Forever With…

Coolant Flush

Dousing the by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

How a Cooling System Service Helps Your Car Beat the Heat here’s a furnace in your car. Don’t believe me? Consider your car’s recommended to drain, flush and replace green coolant every two years engine, its multiple cylinders undergoing many thousands of or 30,000 miles,” said Sarkis Aroyan, a senior engineer with Penray. combustion cycles—basically controlled explosions—each minute “Orange coolant, a phosphate- and silicate-free formula often referred to as your car cruises down the highway or even idles at the stoplight. as Dex-Cool or organic acid coolant, is considered an extended-life coolThese fiery combustion events generate tremendous heat, heat that ant and is found in most GM vehicles. There is an abundance of other would easily destroy even the heartiest engine if colors—like fuchsia, red, blue and yellow—that are not for that helpful mixture of water and alcohol variations of different formulas and often designed for called coolant (or antifreeze). This mixture circulates specific applications. With all the different colors and Keep that blast through your engine, absorbing that harmful heat chemistries available, it is more important than ever to furnace lurking and transferring it to your car’s radiator, where— maintain the cooling system.” beneath your true to its name—the heat is “radiated” out of the Because the additives in coolant break down over car and into the ambient air. time, it’s important to have the cooling system flushed car’s hood under But what happens when you mix metal and at regular intervals, a process that involves forcing a control by having liquid? In a word, corrosion. That’s why a properly new coolant/antifreeze mixture through the entire formulated and blended coolant/antifreeze mixture cooling system, forcing or “flushing” old fluid out and your cooling has excellent anti-boil and anticorrosive properties. leaving your car’s coolant/antifreeze in like-new condisystem inspected (The alcohol in the mixture keeps the coolant from tion. Plus, even “extended-life” coolant may break and maintained freezing in very cold temperatures, something that down far sooner than the service interval recommendcan cause major damage to a radiator or even an ed in your owners manual (or become contaminated), on a regular engine.) which is why experts recommend that drivers ask basis. According to the Car Care Council, the most their auto service technician to check the color, clarity, common formulation of antifreeze is green in color freeze point and chemical protection of their coolant and uses ethylene glycol (an alcohol) as a base with anti-corrosion addiat every maintenance interval. These few simple tests can indicate whethtives mixed in. However, beginning with 1995 models, General Motors er the coolant is providing adequate levels of protection. If it is not, the began filling its vehicles with an orange extended-life antifreeze, and cooling system can either be flushed and new coolant added, or additives many other automakers have followed suit, though generally using coolcan be mixed with the existing coolant to restore its effectiveness. ants that are yellow in color. If that’s not confusing enough, many Asian “Because the coolant affects so many parts of a vehicle, a properly automakers use silicate-free antifreeze formulations in their vehicles maintained cooling system significantly decreases the possibility of ve(dying the coolant red or purple in many cases), while European cars use hicle downtime,” Aroyan said. phosphate-free formulations. So keep that blast furnace lurking beneath your car’s hood under “Green coolant, a phosphate and silicate formula, is typically concontrol by having your cooling system inspected and maintained on a sidered the traditional fluid present in most vehicles. It is usually regular basis. 

“

”

14 VehicleMD

www.penray.com

Run Forever With…

Sludge-Busting Engine Treatment

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

LOWERING YOUR CAR’S

“CHOLESTEROL”

’ve never seen the tiny bits of cholesterol floating around in my bloodstream, but my doctor tells me there are more of those bits than he would like. So, I exercise, try to eat right and even gulp dietary supplements like flaxseed and cod liver oil in a mostly successful attempt to keep my cholesterol under control. But did you know that your car’s engine can have its own “cholesterol” problem? I’m not talking about the dissolved fats and sugars that course through our bodies, but rather the gooey tarlike deposits inside your engine called sludge. Like cholesterol, these gel-like deposits—formed when the motor oil is over-stressed or contaminated—can bond together in your engine’s oil system, forming ever-larger clumps that may over time clog critical oil passages, blocking oil circulation to parts of your engine. This can lead to excess wear, component damage or, like the heart attack we all try hard to avoid, a sudden catastrophic engine failure. Drivers of pre-owned cars should be especially cognizant of this problem. Unlike your body, you can’t be certain of how your car’s previous owners treated the vehicle, and even if you have your car’s motor oil changed frequently, the damage may already have been done. Plus, according to the technicians and mechanics who work on vehicles every day, certain types of cars and/or engines are prone to sludge buildup. “There are some engines that are just prone to building a lot of oil deposits,” said Jim Davis, technical service manager for Sea Foam Sales. “It’s in their design. There are certain engines that will cook the oil on the inside of the There are some engines engine. This leaves a lot of oil that are just prone to residue that can actually just keep building and building.” building a lot of oil

“

deposits. This leaves a lot of oil residue that can actually just keep building and building.

”

Jim Davis, Sea Foam Sales

Fortunately, there are things you can do for your car’s engine, even if you can’t see inside to measure whether it has any sludge accumulation. 16 VehicleMD

Gel-like deposits of sludge—formed when motor oil is over stressed or contaminated—can bond together in your engine’s oil system, forming ever-larger clumps that may over time clog critical oil passages, blocking oil circulation to parts of your engine.

Certain formulations of chemical additives and cleaners exist that can actually dissolve and re-liquefy most kinds of oil sludge buildup. These additives can help turn varnish, gum, oil deposits—really almost any type of gunk that might be in your engine—back into a liquid state. This liquefied sludge will then be circulated through your engine’s oil system, where the oil filter can do its job and screen out the harmful deposits, leaving your engine in a much cleaner state. (Makes you wish they had a “cholesterol filter,” doesn’t it?) “If you put an additive in your oil that will help get rid of oil buildup, as well as prevent it altogether, you’re going to have a lot less wear and tear on the parts,” Davis said. “When you get an engine that is gummed up, oil can’t get to where it needs to go and you can have a lot of premature oil failures due to excess oil buildup. Any time you can keep an engine clean, it can make your car last longer and run more efficiently.” Running a so-called oil system cleaner or motor treatment through your car’s engine every so often can go a long way toward helping keep it clean and free of sludge, so ask your auto service technician whether such a product might be right for you. Because even your car could do with a lower “cholesterol” level! 

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Let Your Transmission Leave You Stranded Help your transmission last longer by using Sea Foamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trans Tune

Did you know automatic transmission fluids leave gum and varnish deposits behind, inhibiting proper functionality? Use Trans Tune as part of your regular maintenance rountine. * Clean internal transmission parts * Free transmission contaminants and debris * Condition transmission fluids * Control moisture in transmission system * Restore smooth shifting

Ask your auto technician about Sea Foam products today! Visit our website at www.seafoamsales.com www.seafoamsales.com

Sip Gas With…

Tire Inflation Tips

The

PRESSURE IS ON 11

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

Things to Know About Keeping Your Tires in Shape—and Saving Money in the Process

t’s no secret that your car’s tires, specifically the amount of air inside them, has a huge bearing on your fuel mileage. Under-inflated tires are one of the leading contributors to poor automotive fuel mileage in this country, just one reason the state of California now requires auto service facilities to check and record their customers’ tire pressures, a move the state hopes will save drivers millions in fuel costs with a resultant reduction in emissions. Not only that, but when your tires have correct inflation pressure, you’ll experience better comfort on the road, your tires will last longer, they will grip the road better (keeping you safer), and your tires’ performance will match your vehicle’s handling dynamics just as the engineers that created it intended. With that in mind, we’ve come up with 11 things you should know about checking your car’s tire pressure—and methods you can use to ensure they stay inflated! (Don’t know how or don’t want to check your tire’s air pressure? Stop by your favorite auto service facility, many of which will perform the service for free.)

>>1. LOSING IT.

It’s possible for a passenger car tire initially inflated to 35 psi (or “pounds per square inch”, a measure of tire inflation), to lose as much as one psi each month. If your car is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), you’ll likely get an alert when the inflation drops below 30 psi.

>>2. OUT IN THE COLD.

For the most accurate reading, tire inflation pressure should be checked when a tire is cold. Inflation pressure tends to increase as the air inside tires warms up and expands when you drive down the 18 VehicleMD

road. (By the same token, that’s also the reason your car’s TPMS may indicate a low tire pressure on very cold mornings, then later blink off as the air inside the tires warms.)

>>3. DON’T FORGET THE SPARE!

Whether your car has a full-size or mini spare tire, be sure to check its inflation pressure, as well.

>>4. SEARCHING FOR INFO.

You’ll find the recommended air pressure for your factory tires at one of the following places: • In the vehicle owners manual. • On the vehicle’s door jamb. (Often, a vehicle information placard is located on the door jamb along with the recommended tire inflation pressure.) • Inside the fuel hatch filler flap. (In some vehicles.) • The glove compartment door. (In some vehicles.)

>>5. THE WRONG PLACE.

You will NOT find your vehicle’s recommended air pressure on the tire. Inflation pressure printed on tire sidewalls is only the maximum tire pressure. Use the recommended tire inflation pressure for your vehicle.

>>6. GAUGING SUCCESS.

Air pressure gauges at gas stations are okay for use in a pinch (just a look at one and you can see it’s probably been through a tough life), but tire experts recommend purchasing a good pressure gauge for yourself.

>>7. VALVES ARE VALUABLE.

Those tiny valve caps may seem trivial, but their importance cannot be overstated. Not only do they keep out dust and debris (ever seen a piece of gravel stuck in a valve lead to a flat tire?) and protect the valve core, they also keep moisture from entering the tire, which can lead to corrosion or even valve core damage if the moisture freezes.

>>8. INFLATION IS IMPORTANT—AND EFFICIENT. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, underinflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every one psi dip in pressure of all four tires. Overall, gas mileage can be increased by 3.3 percent by keeping tires inflated to proper pressure. That may not sound like much, but it’s like saving 9 cents per gallon of gas at the pump, and who among us wouldn’t drive across the street for that kind of savings?

>>9. MIND YOUR TPMS.

If your car is equipped with a TPMS—and it’s a requirement for every car sold in the country since 2007—you’ll need to pay special attention to tire maintenance. Most tire pressure monitoring systems use remote pressure sensors coupled with radio-frequency transmitters to send tire pressure data to the car’s onboard computer. Some automakers use systems that are wheel-specific (i.e. each transmitter corresponds to a certain wheel, like right-front, left-rear, etc.). If your tires are rotated or otherwise serviced, the TPMS will have to be recalibrated or reprogrammed to reflect the change. Make sure your auto service provider can perform this task before having your tires rotated or repaired.

>>10. GETTING YOUR FILL.

Racecar drivers know a thing or two about the importance of tire pressure, which is why many racing teams have been using nitrogen to fill tires for years (along with airlines and military vehicles). Using pure nitrogen (as opposed to compressed air, which is 22 percent oxygen, carbon dioxide and other trace gases) tends to keep tires inflated better and longer, as nitrogen molecules, which are larger than oxygen molecules, don’t slip through the rubber in tires as easily. (In fact, according to the experts at getnitrogen.org, oxygen molecules escape about three to four times faster than nitrogen.) Not only that, but without oxygen, which is a highly corrosive element (hence the word “oxidation”), tires usually last longer, as well. You might have noticed more new cars being sold with green valve caps, too. That’s because automakers and dealerships are increasingly getting on the nitrogen bandwagon. Ask your auto service technician about nitrogen tire inflation. There is usually a charge involved (for the cost involved with mechanically extracting pure nitrogen from air), but the benefits are tangible.

>>1 1. KNOW WHEN TO CHANGE.

Like most things, even the sturdiest of tires have a finite lifespan. You can extend that lifespan by keeping your tires properly inflated, but how do you know when to change them? Simple—use the penny test. Take a standard penny and insert it upside down into the tire tread (i.e. Honest Abe’s head should be inside the tread). If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new tires. Why? Because the tread has worn to the point where the channels that move water out from between the tire and the road can no longer function effectively, meaning you’re at greater risk of losing control in wet, icy or slippery conditions.

Your tires provide the only connection your car has with the road. Making sure they are properly inflated can go a long way to making your car more efficient and keeping you safe on the road.  www.vehiclemd.com 19

Sip Gas With…

Air Filter Replacement

LOWING REELY

How a Fresh Air Filter Helps Your Car Breathe Easier—and “Feel” Better

f you have seasonal allergies, then you are probably familiar with waking up in the morning and barely being able to breathe. You feel as if something has invaded your body and completely blocked your airways. But if you’re one of those people who has been fed up with that feeling, you’ve likely visited your doctor about the problem. Then, she gave you a magical prescription to help you breathe easily. Believe it or not, your vehicle can have the same problem. Albeit your Ford isn’t allergic to pollen, but sometimes it may find itself unable to breathe. That’s when you—or your automotive technician—get to step in and play doctor with a magic cure. What’s the cure? A fresh air filter. The air filter is one of the most critical maintenance items on your vehicle. A clogged air filter can reduce horsepower and fuel economy. Even worse is a damaged air filter that allows particulate matter into the engine, as those tiny particles of dirt and other material can speed up engine wear and even cause premature engine failure. When you think of it, your car’s engine is essentially one big air pump. Air is forced (i.e. inducted) into the engine, where it is compressed, mixed with fuel and ignited. The power from that miniature “explosion” (what mechanics call combustion) is what turns the engine in a process that occurs dozens or even hundreds of times per second and thousands of times per minute. Once combusted, the

20 VehicleMD

by Tammy Neal VehicleMD Staff Writer

air is forced out of the vehicle through its tailpipe. With all that rapid motion going on inside your engine—camshafts rotating, valves opening and closing, pistons sliding up and down, etc.—it’s amazing and just a little bit scary to think about what can happen if just one tiny particle gets thrown into all that mechanical chaos. Imagine a very, very tiny grain of sand getting stuck between the cylinder lining and piston ring of your engine and grinding, grinding, grinding away at the metal surface until a tiny groove has been etched, allowing oil to leak through. Now multiply that times several thousand or more and you can see just how quickly particulate matter can harm an engine. But when it comes to particle size, how tiny is tiny? Most dust particles range in size from one to 100 microns, and the ones that tend to do the most damage are around 20 microns in diameter—basically because they’re small enough to fit between the metal components of today’s high-tolerance engines. (For anyone who slept through science class, a micron is one-millionth of a meter; 25 microns equals 0.001 inch. Want to do a quick science experiment? Pluck a hair from your head and look at it. What you’re seeing is generally 50 to 70 microns in diameter!) Fortunately, modern engine air filters do a fantastic job of grabbing these particles, usually trapping up to 98 percent of particulate matter down to 20 microns in size. Some premium engine air filters can even boast that much efficiency with particles as small as 10 microns. Engine air filters work by keeping a layer

of cloth or paper, called media, between the outside air and your engine. The filter media traps particles that are in the air, but allows the air itself to pass into the engine. Like many other filters on your vehicle, however, the engine air filter eventually becomes dirty as the media collects more and more particulate matter. This can reduce the flow of air through the filter, starving your engine of the precious air flow it needs, which not only robs you of horsepower, it also cuts into your fuel mileage. (Remember how you felt when you awoke unable to breathe thanks to your nasty allergies. Well, that’s how your car feels right about now.) That’s why automakers generally recommend replacing your engine air filter every 15,000 to 30,000 miles, or more frequently if you drive in dirty, dusty conditions. (And doesn’t all urban driving qualify? Just rub your hand along your car’s body the next time it’s been a couple of weeks since you washed it. Now imagine all that dirt trying to get into your engine.) In fact, the Car Care Council recommends that your car’s air filter be visually inspected at every oil change and replaced at least annually in order to provide maximum protection and fuel efficiency. Although air filters usually don’t need to be replaced as often as oil filters, they are an important part of your maintenance routine that keeps your engine operating at peak efficiency and helps extend its life. Air filters keep the air flowing freely to your engine allowing it to breath easily, so be sure to ask your service technician if your air filter needs to be replaced. 

www.vehiclemd.com 21

Know Your Stuff

How Cars Have Changed

by Garrett McKinnon VehicleMD Staff Writer

Decade of Change Top

10 Ways Your Car Has Changed Since 2001

emember the year 2001? Doesn’t seem that long ago, does it? It was the dawn of a new year, new century and new millennia (because, yes, technically all that stuff started in 2001, not 2000, which was the end of the previous century/millennia). Now try and remember the car you were driving in 2001 (though if you’re still driving the same one, good job keeping it on the road this past decade!). Chances are it was a lot different than the one you’re driving now. And if you’re in the market for a new car sometime this year, chances are that it will be WAY different than whatever you were driving 10 years ago. Few parts of our society have seen advancements as incredible as those in the automotive market during the past decade. Think about it. Ten years ago, automakers were touting the number of cupholders in the cabin. Today, they are boasting about hands-free mobile communication technologies, fuel economy you couldn’t have dreamed about 10 years ago and life-saving technologies that help drivers avoid accidents. Join us as we look back at the top 10 ways the auto industry has changed since 2001, with a note of thanks to Ford Motor Company for their help with this article.

Entertainment Remember when a CD player was the ultimate in luxury for a car? Or when only vans had built-in TVs? Today, most cars (and certainly most family haulers) come standard with CD players, and the list of options you can purchase on many models includes rear-seat entertainment systems (my kids wouldn’t survive long trips without one), iPod/MP3 interfaces for listening to your favorite tunes and even satellite radio, which wasn’t even an option back in 2000 but is now a feature found in more than half of new passenger cars sold today, according to Ward’s Auto. Some companies like Ford and Chrysler even offer onboard entertainment systems that can store your digital music or stream Internet radio and operate via touchscreen or even voice control. How high-tech would that have felt in 2001?

Information Today’s cars can tell you an awful lot about themselves. When they need an oil change. When their tires are low on air. How much farther they can drive before they run out of fuel. Their fuel mileage (both the mileage they’re getting at the precise moment you check it and their accumulated mileage). If a door or hatch is open (and, thankfully, which one). Today’s cars are a wealth of information. But want even more in the way of information? Some automakers are

22 VehicleMD

now equipping vehicles with mobile Wi-Fi hotspots so passengers can surf the Internet or fire off an e-mail to the boss while cruising down the highway. And some commercial vehicles, like the Ford Transit Connect, can even be purchased with an onboard PC, essentially making the vehicle a mobile office.

Taking Out the Guesswork Driving a car has never been easier. Who would have thought 10 years ago that today there would be vehicles on the market that could parallel park by themselves (wouldn’t that have been a great feature to have when you took your driver’s exam!), rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers, automatic headlights (no more dead batteries because you accidentally left the lights on), and even rear back-up cameras and back-up sensing systems (soon to be standard equipment on all cars due to a government mandate). A few vehicles (new models of the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee, for example) can even let you select what type of terrain you’re driving on. Pick sand, snow or pavement and the vehicle then adjusts wheel spin, throttle inputs and other inputs accordingly, helping you stay safe regardless of the driving conditions.

Safety Perhaps no other area of automotive technology has advanced more than safety. Think about it. In 2001, the average car had at least two airbags. Today, most vehicles have at least four, with some models equipped with up to 10 airbags. And airbags themselves also have improved, with seats that can determine a passenger’s weight and adjust airbag inflation force accordingly, or even inflatable second-row seatbelts to keep your kids snug and safe in case of a collision. Even more amazing than airbag technology, however, are the advancements in accident avoidance. Just try and purchase a car today that doesn’t have some form of electronic traction control, antiskid control, antilock brakes, etc.

Want even more? There are cars on the market that will automatically begin braking if they sense a collision is imminent. There are cars that will warn you if a vehicle is in your blind spot. There are cars that will automatically steer through a curve if you enter it too fast. And even whisper-quiet hybrid vehicles are being installed with noise generators so that pedestrians will hear them coming. Who could have guessed that would have been a problem way back in 2001?

Fuel Economy The average U.S. retail price of a gallon of gasoline in January 2001 was $1.47. Today it’s more than twice that. And don’t get us started on the days in 2008 when gas was over $4 per gallon; we still get nightmares! As a result of those increased fuel prices, cars and the engines that power them have had to become more fuel-efficient. According to the EPA, fuel economy between 2000 and 2010 improved for the industry from 19.8 mpg to 22.5 mpg—a 14 percent improvement. Automakers have accomplished this increased efficiency in a number of ways: cars are lighter; engines are smaller (but no less powerful than the larger engines of yore); and more vehicles use fuel-efficient five-, six- and even seven-speed automatic transmissions (with, incredibly, plans for eight-speed automatic transmissions already in the works). Plus, hybrid vehicles, which were mere afterthoughts to most consumers in 2001, are now refined, capable and much larger than the econoboxes that first hit the nation’s highways back then.

Navigation Miss the days of folding and unfolding a map to find out how to get to your destination? Me neither. TripTik gave way to MapQuest, which soon led to the first commercially available automotive navigation system in the late 1990s. According to Berg Insight Research, there are an estimated 150 million in-dash, aftermarket, compact personal and navigation-enabled mobile guidance devices used globally. Today, navigation systems are integrated into vehicles and are much more comprehensive. Many systems can even use real-time traffic updates to steer you around obstructions.

Creature Comforts Remember when a comfortable ride (think of a mid-1970s Cadillac that seemed to float on a cushion of air) meant having little or no traction when it came to making a sharp evasive maneuver? These days consumers enjoy a comfortable ride while also reaping handling benefits that allow us to steer or brake our way out of trouble in ways we couldn’t have dreamed of 10 years ago.

Plus, we have better interior materials, sleeker interior designs, heated and cooled seats that automatically adjust driver position, remote start and other comfort and convenience items. And how did we ever live without powered liftgates?

Customization It may not be for you, but many cars aimed at younger drivers can be customized in myriad ways, including ambient lighting colors that can be changed to fit a driver’s mood; driver’s seats with customizable settings that adjust automatically with the push of a button; and even car “tattoos,” decal kits that you can factory order to give your car that one-of-a-kind appeal.

Security Keyless remotes, alarms and warning systems, and anti-theft systems have come a long way toward making life on the go safer for many. Many of today’s cars have safety lights to make that trip through a dark parking lot easier. They have starting systems that allow you to crank the vehicle without ever taking the key fob out of your pocket or purse. And one new system from Ford (called MyKey) even allows parents to restrict vehicle speeds when a teen driver is behind the wheel. (I personally would have hated that when I was a teenager!)

Paint Colors While black and silver still top the list of consumers’ favorite automotive hues, brighter and more vibrant paint colors are edging their way into more drivers’ hearts. Pastel oranges, yellows and greens are increasingly popular, as are brighter blues and deeper reds. Plus, paint technology has advanced, and new paints mixed with glass or metal flecks can even change hues depending on which angle you view them from.

The Decade to Come While the past decade has seen a rapid advance in automotive technology, the next 10 years promise even more of the same—and at potentially a faster pace. We’ll see higher gas prices but much more fuel-efficient vehicles. We’ll see more safety technologies designed to keep us protected as we drive. And we’ll see our cars increasingly able to “talk” to us and our maintenance/repair providers, giving us all the information we need to keep our favorite rides trucking down the highway for years to come. 

www.vehiclemd.com 23

Know Your Stuff

The Right Service Interval

CONFUSION CONFIDENCE

Turn

Into

Choosing the Best Service Interval for Your Vehicle

,00

24 VehicleMD

iles

5,000 miles

by Tammy Neal VehicleMD Staff Writer

10,

000

mil

othing is more frustrating when you have one person telling you one thing and another person telling you something different.

One television show in particular demonstrates this at its finest— “American Idol.” In seasons past Simon Cowell was the infamous dissenter. When everyone else loved how the song was sung, Cowell thought it was dreadful. How would you feel to be the singer? I would surely be confused. Most of us won’t be appearing on “American Idol” anytime soon, but we are likely to find ourselves in at least one confusing situation—like deciding on an oil change interval. 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. The only real way to know how often to have your car serviced is to read through the owners manual. But who has time to do that? (And who would really want to!) 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.

1. 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.” Today, 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), 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 like Ford, Nissan and Hyundai, include: n Repeated short trips of less than five miles in normal temperatures or less than 10 miles in freezing temperatures. n Stop-and-go traffic in hot weather or low-speed driving for long distances. n Driving in dusty conditions or on rough, muddy or salt-spread roads.

n Towing a trailer or using a camper or car-top carrier. n Use of E85 ethanol fuel more than 50 percent of the time. n Driving on uphill, downhill or mountain roads. n Driving as a patrol car, taxi or other commercial use, or vehicle towing. 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:

2. 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 WHAT SERVICE INTERVAL us are planning to hold on to the cars we have IS BEST FOR YOU? and drive them for a (ask yourself) few extra years rather than trade them in. If 1. How do I drive that sounds familiar, 2. How much do I love my car definitely consider 3. How much do I want to spend 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:

3. 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. (One of Nissan’s three service interval recommendations is a shorter interval called “Premium Maintenance” that is targeted at drivers who want to take the utmost care of their investment.) Spending a little more on maintenance now can save you big money down the road when it comes to repairs. For more information on service intervals, including an article about the history of intervals, visit our website at: www.vehiclemd.com 

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THE BACK PAGE

MAKE IT

SHINE One way to show your ride some love is with a wash and wax. Experts suggest washing your car as often as once a week to keep it looking like new for years to come. However, as is with everything, there are do’s and don’ts:

uWASH

Don’t wait for your car to become dingy before you wash it. The grime on your car can leach acids that strip away wax and eventually eat into your car’s paint. n Leave the dish soap in the kitchen. Carwash soap is for cars; dish soap is for dishes. Dish soaps contain detergents and other chemicals that can harm a vehicle’s finish. n Wash your car in a shady spot or on a cloudy day; if a car is not kept cool while washing, the water will evaporate too quickly and may leave water spots. n Wash your wheels first. This prevents you from splattering cleaners, dirt and brake dust on your freshly washed car. n After washing the wheels, wash from the top down. You don’t want dirty water flowing over the places you’ve already washed.

vDRY

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Don’t let your car air dry. This may leave water marks or, if you have hard water, mineral deposits on your car. n Use a chamois or microfiber towel to dry your car. If you use a rough towel, it may leave behind small scratches or swirls in the paint. n Dry the vehicle like you washed it; from the top down.

wWAX

Using a pre-wax cleaner will help to remove blemishes such as tar, water spots and insect remains. n Don’t wax your car in direct sunlight, as it may dry too fast and become difficult to remove. n Don’t wax in the wind. Dirt particles and other debris in the air could become trapped in your fresh wax and scratch your car’s finish when the wax is removed. n