Let’s talk about deciphering the service menu board. Service centers have a board that lists the routine services they provide. But some people don’t know what these services really are unless they ask. Let’s go down a typical list, in alphabetical order, starting with air conditioning service.

First remember that all of these services are recommended by vehicle manufacturers. They set how often or at how many miles the service should be done.

Air conditioning service involves purging the old refrigerant and capturing it for proper disposal. Then fresh refrigerant is installed. The fresh refrigerant will lubricate the system and will also help it cool better.

Alignment. They make sure all four wheels are lined up and track with each other. This reduces tire and suspension wear and improves safety and handling.

Battery service. Inspect the battery for corrosion, leaks or damage. Test the battery’s ability to hold a charge. If the battery’s still strong, clean it up. If not, replace it.

Brakes. This could be two things. A brake inspection to see if the brakes are working well mechanically and to see if the pads are still safe. If not, replace the pads and make any repairs that might be in order.

The other thing is to evacuate the brake fluid, clean out the system and replace it with fresh fluid. This is important, but often over looked.

Cabin air filter. The cabin air filter is the filter that cleans the air that comes into the passenger compartment. It works like the filter on your furnace at home. It gets dirty and needs to be changed.

Cooling system. This is the cooling system for your engine. Replace the old coolant with fresh to protect your radiator and other cooling system components from corrosion.

Differential service. Every vehicle has at least one differential. They don’t require service very often, so people don’t think of them much. The differential transfers power from the drive train to your wheels. Drain the old fluid and add fresh lubricant.

Engine air filter. This filters the air that’s burned in the engine. It gets dirty and needs to be replaced.

Fuel filter. This filter cleans the fuel before it gets to the engine. Like the other filters, it gets clogged and needs to be replaced.

Boxster fans will love the Spyder due out next year.  More power, less weight.  Sounds good.  read more and see the photo

If you don’t have a Spyder, you will need good air conditioning to keep you cool.  But did you know you need to run your A/C during the winter?  Watch this video to learn why.

A video on AC care.

We all know we’re supposed to go to the dentist twice a year. We get our teeth cleaned and have a thorough dental inspection. Once a year, we get x-rays to look for problems that can’t be seen with the naked eye. When the dentist is done, he tells us what he’s found – “Everything’s fine, see you in six months.” Or “You’ve got a small cavity starting, let’s schedule an appointment to take care of it.” By the time you leave, you have a plan for addressing any necessary repairs.

This system works so much better than waiting for a painful problem before going into the dentist. Small problems are fixed before they turn into big problems. And you avoid those huge bills.

If we buy into this way of handling our dental care, why do we resist so much when facing the same system for our car care?

Following the manufacturer’s recommended intervals can be confusing. First there are recommendations for so many things: oil changes, transmission, coolant, air conditioning, power steering, brakes, fuel system, filters, belts, hoses, alignment, rotation, balancing …you get the point.

Every item has a recommended interval and it’s hard to keep it all straight – even if you’re part of the 1% of the population that reads your owners’ manual.

And if you have more than one car, the complexity is multiplied. You’d need a computer to keep track of everything. We’ll, that’s how your service center does it. They subscribe to automotive databases that have your vehicle’s recommended intervals. You may have wondered how they know what else to recommend when you take your car in for an oil change – it’s all in the computer.

Well, it’s not all in the computer. There are other variables that can’t be accounted for in the schedule. Things like the weather conditions, altitude, and where and how you drive need to be taken into account. Talk about these things with your service advisor and you may decide that the severe service schedule in your owner’s manual is more appropriate.

Since anything that’s not highway driving in moderate weather is considered severe, most of us do at least some of that and it should be taken into consideration.

Let’s take your basic oil change as an example – what issues are involved? The oil you put in your car is a blend of base oil and special additives. There are detergents to clean the inside of your engine and corrosion inhibitors. A good quality motor oil will not only lubricate your engine, it will help it stay clean inside and run cooler.

Now, these additives deplete with use and time. That’s why most maintenance recommendations include both a time and mileage element – like 3 months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first.

It’s easy to think, “Gee, I’ve only driven 2,000 miles in the last 3 months. I can wait on that oil change.” But you need to remember that the inside of your engine is a harsh environment. The oil is contaminated with combustion by-products that starts degrading its effectiveness even when it’s just sitting there.

A lot of people don’t realize the harm that can be done by just skipping a single oil change. There are a lot of metal parts moving around in your engine. Small bits of metal wear off and are floating around in your oil. They can be carried to more delicate areas of the engine where they cause damage. Your oil filter is designed to trap metal particles and other dirt, but if it’s clogged up because you haven’t changed it, it can’t trap any more.

Oil sludge is another problem. Sludge is oil that has turned to a gunky jelly – think Vaseline. Obviously, sludge doesn’t lubricate. It can also clog small oil passages so that all the parts don’t get properly protected by the oil. That’ll lead to premature wear.

If you’ve missed some oil changes, don’t despair. Just talk with your service advisor. Fess up – you’ll feel better. And he can help you get back on track. Following recommended intervals is the key to keeping your car on the road and avoiding major repairs.

Keep your cool in your cool car with proper air conditioner maintenance

North Americans love their cars.  And nothing goes with cars better than the road trip.  Freedom from daily schedules, new sights and the open road – it’s great!  But there’s nothing like car trouble to bring the fun to a grinding halt.

Now you can’t always avoid problems, but you can take steps to reduce the probability of getting sidelined on your trip. The first step is to look at your trip plan from your vehicle’s perspective.  What kind of roads will you be traveling – winding byways or super-highways?  Mountains or plains?  What weather conditions are you likely to encounter?  How many miles will you travel?  How much weight will you be hauling – passengers and luggage?  Lugging a trailer or roof top carrier?  Will it be dusty?

Armed with the answers to these questions, you can start a trip inspection to help you prepare your vehicle for your big adventure.  A lot of people prefer to go through this exercise with their automotive service adviser to get their input and make sure they haven’t left anything out.

A great place to start is with the tires.  Inspect them for tread wear and proper inflation.  Is it time to rotate your tires?  Replace them?  Are they up to the job – you wouldn’t want to drive regular highway tires on a muddy off-road adventure.

Shocks and struts play a major role in both driving comfort and safety.  If they need to be replaced, you’ll really be glad you did once you hit the road. Is it time for a wheel alignment?  Fighting a car that’s pulling to one side all day can be tiring and dangerous.

And don’t forget your brakes.  Any strange noises, grabbing, soft or hard peddle feel?  If there is any doubt, get a brake inspection before you leave.
Moving under the hood, have your belts and hoses inspected.  If something is excessively worn or near failure, the stress of a long road trip might just be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Your engine air filter will be important.  For every gallon of gas you burn, your car will filter and use 12,000 gallons of air.  If the filter needs to be changed, you’ll notice the fuel savings on your trip.

How close are you to your next oil change?  Will you be able to complete your trip before it’s due?  If not, just get it taken care of before you go so that you don’t need to interrupt your trip.  In fact, a full service oil change is a great idea because they will top off all your fluids and check to see if any other maintenance items are due, such as transmission or cooling system service.

Do you notice any unusual odors in your vehicle?  If so, it could as harmless as a dirty cabin air filter.  But if it’s an exhaust leak it could be fatal on a long trip. Of course you’ll want to be comfortable, so get an air conditioning service if you aren’t getting the cold air you used to.

Are you wiper blades still working well?  If not, that is quick and inexpensive to fix.  Headlamps are often overlooked when planning for a trip.  If you haven’t changed the bulb in six months or so, replacement bulbs will really light up the night on your trip.

All the items mentioned are part of any good vehicle maintenance plan.  These are things that you want to take care of anyway, but they all come into focus as you plan for your trip.

They will always save you money in the long run and may prevent inconvenient delays on your trip.  After all, you wouldn’t want to miss the world’s largest ball of string, would you?

Don’t you hate it when you hear that squeal from under the hood? It usually means there is a problem with the serpentine belt.  The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine accessories. It runs the alternator-which charges the battery, the water pump-which cools the engine, the air conditioning and the power steering pump.  All pretty important parts. It is called a serpentine belt because it snakes around a bunch of engine components.

Serpentine belts are especially tough. They can last for years and go for tens of thousands of miles.  But, with time they wear out.  If your belt breaks while you are driving, everything will come to a halt within minutes.  You have to stop the car or it will overheat, potentially causing major engine damage. And it probably won’t be at a convenient time or place.  You might even need to get your car towed to a service center. That is why manufacturers recommend a belt replacement on schedule. You really should get it done on schedule because a belt failure will definitely take you off the road.

If you hear a squeal when accelerating or a slow, slapping sound at idle, you should have your serpentine belt looked at. Your service technician will visually inspect your belt to see if it needs to be changed sooner than scheduled.  If the belt has more than three or four cracks an inch, has deep cracks that penetrate half the depth of the belt, is frayed, is missing pieces or has a shiny glazed look, it needs to be replaced regardless of age or mileage.

Serpentine belt replacement is relatively inexpensive, especially compared with the cost and inconvenience of being stranded or getting a disabled vehicle to a service center for repairs.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym, but not in your car.  When your car’s AC System has a problem, you’ll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent expensive repairs.

A common cause for AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also  refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to try to cool the air.  That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

You should also run the air conditioner regularly, even in the winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out. The seals can crack and that leads to leaks. Your owner’s manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner.  Some service centers also have this information as part of their computer databases.  Your service advisor can give you more information.

Of course, if your AC currently isn’t working right, then now is the time to get it checked. Many service centers can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services.  This goes a long way to avoiding having to bring your air conditioner in for major repairs.

Recent environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993.  There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very steep.  It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new EPA-approved R134a refrigerant.  It will pay for itself in the long run.

Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner?  Do you only get cool air sporadically?  If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked. It’s real easy to take your car’s air conditioner for granted.  Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air.  But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool.

When most people hear the words “air conditioning problems”, it sends a shiver up their spine.  That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it’s broken, it’s expensive to repair.

What things can we do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?

A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks.  Water and air can leak into the system.  The system doesn’t work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components.  Also, refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to cool the air.  Periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

You should also run the air conditioner regularly, even in the winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out, which leads to leaks. Your owner’s manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner.  Of course, if it’s not working right, now is the time to get it checked. Many service centers can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services.  This goes a long way to avoiding having to bring your air conditioner in for major repairs.

New environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993.  There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very steep.  It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new R134-A refrigerant.  It will pay for itself in the long run. So, if your AC is just a lot of hot air, take it to a service center in your area for an inspection