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Preparing your vehicle for winter driving is almost as important as preparing it for summer. Cold temperatures can affect your battery, heater, and driving routines.

1. Always keep your engine well tuned. A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by 50% experts say.



2. Avoid fast jackrabbit style starts. They’re bad for your tires and terrible for your fuel consumption.



3. Don’t let your engine idle if you’re waiting for someone or in a line at a fast food restaurant. One minute of idling uses more fuel than restarting your vehicle engine.



4. Install a block heater to help warm your vehicle engine. A warm engine means easier starting with fewer emissions and less need for idling.



5. Plan you shopping and errands to combine multiple tasks on one outing to avoid several different separate trips/outings which can waste a lot of fuel.



6. Check your tire pressure regularly. Under-inflated tires can increase fuel consumption as much as 5 percent.

1. Maintain a good driving record



2. Ask about all discounts and what you would qualify for.



3. Take the highest deductible that meets your needs.



4. For cars with low market value, consider forgoing comprehensive and collision insurance



5. Keep the documents from previous insurance companies



6. Make sure you’re a listed driver on an automobile policy somewhere



7. Make sure you’re a listed driver if you use a company vehicle most of the time



8. Ask if accident waiver coverage is available - this optional coverage is available with several insurance companies and protects future increases in insurance costs due to at-fault losses



9. Maintain your vehicle



10. Make sure you’re not getting coverage that is unnecessary to you- for example, rental car coverage if you own several vehicles and some sit unused most of the time

1. Use the least expensive fuel you can buy. Most vehicles will run fine on 87 octane. Some vehicles require a higher octane such as high performance applications.



2. Tune up your vehicle regularly. Simple things such as fuel and air filters can dramatically improve fuel mileage. If your car pings you may have to use a higher octane or have it checked at your favorite service center.



3. Accelerate gently from a stop and decelerate before you come to a stop.



4. Drive at a steady speed. Use cruise control if your vehicle is equipped.



5. Watch your RPM gauge if you have one; the lower the engine RPM while cruising, the better.

1. Have your car completely inspected by a certified mechanic. Get a detailed report so you can head off trouble before it begins.



2. Check all belts and hoses before cold weather arrives. Cold weather can cause them to dry out and break.



3. Inspect your tires. Good tires are a must for traction, stopping and a smooth ride.

1. There are two kinds of freon: R-12 and R-134.



1. R-12 is the old freon which is being discontinued but for now it is still available. We recommend using R-12 if your vehicle was designed for it until R-12 is no longer available.



2. R-134 started in the mid 1990's and works well in the newer vehicles.

1. Your car air con system loses up to 15% of it's refrigerant every year.



2. A poorly performing car air conditioning system can cause a build up of fungus, bacteria and other microbes growing inside the evaporator core, causing a smell, sometimes an allergic reaction and can lead to legionnaires disease.



3. Have your car air con system serviced every 18 months. It will say that in your car manufacturers service guide, yet when your car is serviced, your A/C system is never serviced. It's an extra, chargeable item, but vital to have done.



4. A typical manufacturer car air conditioning service will cost you at least $100.00, plus you take the car to them. Poor A/C system can increase your fuel costs as the air conditioning pump need to work harder

Three Good Reasons Not to Run Low on Gas
Source: Car Care Council

Are you one of those optimistic drivers who doesn't worry about stopping for gas until the gas gauge needle is approaching “E”? In cold weather that's inviting trouble, says the Car Care Council. Condensation of moisture in the air in the gas tank causes an accumulation of water. Because water is heavier than gasoline, it settles to the bottom of the tank, entering the gas line and eventually working its way to the lowest point in the fuel system.

Once the moisture freezes, the fuel flow is blocked and the engine may not start on a cold morning.

Most brands of gasoline are formulated to prevent freezing, says the Council. Additional protection in the form of gas line antifreeze, however, can prevent starting trouble in severe cold. This methanol (methyl-alcohol) based product, found among automotive chemicals on most auto supply shelves, mixes with water to prevent freezing. The solution of gasoline, alcohol and water is burned in the engine's combustion process.

Some premium brands of fuel antifreeze products contain isopropanol, capable of absorbing five times its weight in water.

Consider other reasons for not allowing the gas tank to drop too far below half full. First, and most obvious, is the possibility of running out of gas in an area where no service stations available.

The other reason, less obvious, applies to fuel injected vehicles on which the fuel pump is located inside the gas tank. Cooled by the gasoline that surrounds it, the pump can be damaged from overheating when fuel level is too low.

It costs no more to keep a tank at least half full and the addition of fuel line antifreeze is a small price to pay for the added protection it affords.

Beyond this, because a battery loses some of its output in cold weather, be certain it's OK for another winter's use. Finally, concludes the Council, make sure your engine has adequate antifreeze/coolant protection and that the spark plugs and ignition system components are up to the cold weather challenge, it'll save you down the road.

Maintenance & Driving Tips

Maintain the proper air pressure in the tires. Check pressure every week for routine driving. Also check the tire pressure before taking any long trips. Measure the pressure when the tires are cold.

Keep your tires at the recommended inflation pressure. This can be found in your owner's manual or on the label either in the glove box or near the door latch on the driver's side. The maximum inflation pressure is shown on the side of the tire. With the recommended air pressure, tires will last longer and be less likely to fail, and the car will use less fuel. Serious injury may result from tire failure because of under inflation or overloading.

When you check tire pressure, make sure there is enough tread on the tire to operate safely and that the tires are wearing normally. All grooves should be visible and deep enough to at least touch the top of Lincoln's head on a penny.

Look for even wear. If you see the treadwear warning bars across the tire, it's time to replace that tire. Bald tires are unsafe. If some spots on the tire seem to be wearing faster than others, see your service station or mechanic. You could have mis-aligned wheels, worn shock absorbers or other potential problems.

Make sure your wheels are balanced and aligned properly.

Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and stops and fast tire screeching turns.

Never overload your car. Your car and tires are designed to operate safely only up to their load limits. These limits are shown in your owner's manual and on the certification plate on the edge of the driver's door.

Cars - Repair

Whenever you take a vehicle to the shop:

• Choose a reliable repair shop recommended by family, friends or an independent consumer rating organization.



• Check out the repair shop's complaint record with your state or local consumer protection office or Better Business Bureau.



• Describe the symptoms. Don't try to diagnose the problem.



• Get more than one estimate in writing.



• Make it clear that work cannot begin until you have authorized it. Don't authorize work without a written estimate. If the problem can't be diagnosed on the spot, insist that the shop contact you for authorization once the trouble has been found.



• Don't sign a blank repair order. Make sure the order reflects what you want done before you sign it.



• Follow the warranty instructions if a repair is covered under warranty.



• Ask the shop to keep the old parts for you.



• Get all repair warranties in writing.



• Keep copies of all paperwork.



• Some states, cities and counties have special laws that deal with auto repairs. For information on the laws in your state, contact your state or local consumer protection office.

Maintenance & Repair Tips

1. Oil Changes



• Always follow the maintenance schedule in the owners manual. Most oil change intervals have already been extended to 7500 miles or even to 10,000 miles between oil changes. However, the cheapest preventive maintenance you can do to help prevent a major engine failure or premature wear to the engine is to change your oil every 3000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first.



2. Other Fluids



• Although most people focus on the engine oil and transmission fluid, most of the other fluids have a maintenance requirement. It may only be to check the level and condition of the fluid or it may require changing the fluid. This information will also be found in the vehicle owner's manual.



3. Extended Warranty



• When buying a new car that you plan on keeping for more than several years, it is a good idea to invest in an extended warranty. Vehicles nowadays are very expensive to repair and the first large repair performed on the vehicle after the factory warranty expires would probably pay for the extended warranty.

Low compression? Here's a way to find out what's wrong.

First thing you will need is a spark plug adapter for your air compressor. You might be able to find one at an auto parts store but most of the desk jockies there will look at you as if you had lobsters coming out of your ears. So build one yourself. Take an old spark plug that came from the car and beat it with a hammer till the porcelain is crumbled and can be removed. Careful not to damage the threads. Now get an air chuck fitting that will fit your air system. Screw it into the end of the plug where the porcelain was and braze it in place - it has to be a good airtight seal. You can epoxy it in place if you don't have a torch.

Now screw it into the plug hole of the cylinder that has low compression. Hand crank the engine over until you feel air pushing out of the fitting. That will mean that you are coming up on the compression stroke and both valves will be closed. Now lock the crankshaft in place using a socket on a breaker bar placed on the crankshaft damper pulley. Wedge the handle tightly into the frame somewhere - make sure it is locked in place in tightly else it will spin around during the next step and whack you in the head!

Now put your air hose onto the fitting and slowly begin to increase the pressure on the cylinder.

As soon as you hear air leaking somewhere stop increasing the flow. Use a length of heater hose to listen to the hole where you add oil. This is normally on top of one of the valve covers. If you hear air leaking there then you have either badly leaking rings or a cracked or hole in the piston.

Listen at the tailpipe. If you hear hissing in there then you have a leaking exhaust valve.

Listen at the throttle body intake. If you hear hissing there then you have a leaking intake valve.

If you hear hissing at all three places than sell the car as fast as you can!

It's Raining - What's a detailer to do?

It's that time of year again when the days are shorter and the rainy season is upon all detailers. If you're like most mobile car detail companies you own a detail trailer and it is the trailer where the hidden income is found.

Your detail trailer can be used as a rain gutter clean out system using your high pressure water gun. Simply get a top your small ladder and with your wash gun spray and clean out all the leaves and debris from the gutters. This process takes about 30 minutes including the clean up. On average you can charge a flat fee of around $50. In order to do this properly and actually get some business I would recommend creating a flyer that outlines your services. A simple flyer can be made with Microsoft Word or Publisher.

Create another flyer and tailer this one for Auto Mechanics. Advertise your expert steam cleaning trailer with all its horsepower, RRRRR... and so on. Mechanics always sub-contract out engine steam cleans so that detecting leaks is easier not to mention keeping themselves cleaner while working underneath the engine. We also recommend bringing a good floor jack so you can lift the front of the vehicle off the ground and access the underside properly. The average charge for a top and bottom engine steam clean is $50.

This last money making suggestion is to offer driveway steam cleaning service, create your flyers again and target certain neighborhoods each week by placing 100 flyers on the homes doorsteps. Start off with 100 so you can track and keep statistics on your efforts. Use this time when it is raining to do the foot work with the flyers. This type of marketing does work and while the return is not that of a phone book ad, you will get jobs from this. It sure beats sitting at home while its raining, all the while you should be making an investment in your business with this down time.

Misfire or Rough Idle

Here is the procedure for isolating which one (or more) cylinders are causing a "misfire" or rough idle in any standard ignition driven system (not diesel).

The first thing we have to do is to find out why is is misfiring - not necessarily ignition related, but it could be. Do a compression test so we can rule out bad stuff. Write down the compression readings for all the cylinders. If one (or more) is more than 15% lower that the highest, then there is a problem with either the valves or the piston/rings. I won't go into the procedures to isolate that problem here.

Assuming it turns out OK, then we do a "power test" by grounding out one spark plug wire at a time while it's idling. Use a small thin screwdriver or something else that you can slip under the boot that covers the spark plug. Attach a grounding wire to the screwdriver and clip the other end onto a metal part of the engine. With the engine idling, slip the screwdriver under the spark plug boot to short out that plug and stop it from firing, and note the drop in RPM - do it for all 8. One of them (or more) will not affect the idle condition as much as the rest. That one will be the offending cylinder. Next, find a spark plug wire which is the same length as the offending cylinder but caused a significant drop in RPM, and swap wires. See if the problem follows the wire or stays with the cylinder. If it goes with the wire then it's time to replace the wire set. No sense in just replacing the bad one - do 'em all. If the problem stays with the cylinder then start looking for a fuel problem with that cylinder. Look for a vacuum leak around the intake manifold for that area of the engine. Check all the vacuum hoses for cracks and leaks. If it is a fuel injected system (Port Fuel Injection) then pull the injector and see if it is functioning. If it isn't squirting a fine mist then check the signal to the injector using a special injector tester. Repair or replace as necessary.

Finally, if nothing else appears to be wrong try swapping the spark plugs form one cylinder to another and see if the problem follows the spark plug. If it does then replace all the plugs. Note the condition of the failed plug and from which cylinder it originated. This may be an indication of other engine problems like oil burning in that cylinder.