Top 5 Tips - DIY Car Maintenance

Good car maintenance is a prerequisite for a smooth running and a longer life of our prized possessions. While there indeed are automobile service stations to take care of them when they fall sick, you at your end can do a lot for your car's upkeep and stitch it in time so as to save nine. This post offers 5 essential tips you can implement yourself, and which should pretty much ensure your car's good health.

1. Check Engine Oil

Critical to an automobile's lubrication system, the engine oil lubricates a car's moving parts, cleans and inhibits corrosion, and also cools the engine by carrying heat away from the parts.

To check engine oil, Turn off the car's ignition. Locate the dipstick, in case you don't know where it is take the help of the owner's manual and then remove the dipstick. Most dipstick carry the label "engine oil."

Wipe off any excess oil and then check dip it another time to see if it reaches the "Full" mark or not. If not then you need to fill up to reach the "Full" mark.

Now, observe the color of the engine oil. A black an opaque appearance means time for a change. Dark brown but somewhat transparent means you'd need to change it after some time. A clear appearance means it's OK, but be wary if it appears to be whitish, as that might indicate a need for a professional check up.

To replace engine oil, choose the product that's already inside your car. Pour in slowly allowing it time to settle down. After you're done, replace the dipstick properly.

2. Check Automatic Transmission Fluid

To run a check for automatic transmission fluid change the transmission lever's position to Park of 'P' position. Locate the transmission dipstick, in case you don't know where it is take the help of the owner's manual and then remove the transmission dipstick. Wipe it and dip it again to check the levels.

Also look at the appearance of the fluid. A black fluid with a burnt smell is a sign that it needs a quick change. If its brown in color, then there's still some life in it. In comparison a newly replaced fluid is red in color.

Aside from the appearance, refer to the owner's manual as well. As some manufacturers specify the number of miles you can drive before a refill is needed.

3. Check Engine Coolant

This is a simple procedure. To perform the check simply locate the coolant overflow tank and note the levels.

Low coolant level will cause the engine to overheat, which may cause serious damage to the engine. If the levels are between "LOW" and "FULL" markings, then it's OK. If it's below the "LOW" marking, then naturally a replacement is needed.

4. Check CV Joint Boots

A majority of modern day automobiles are front wheel drive, wherein a CV joint's job is to help in transmitting power to the wheels.

To check the CV joint for breakage or damage, you'd need to inspect the internal sides of the wheel. To make it easier for you, first turn the wheel to one side as much as it can turn. Now, look at the inside to inspect the front wheel arch. If your inspection reveals oil or greasing on the boot, it means that it's broken. If it dry then there's nothing to worry about. If it's broken, then treat it as an emergency and arrange for a replacement.

5. Check Tire Pressure

Taking good care of wheels & tires is simple, very basic and very important. The point is to check air pressure without fail at least once a month. It might be a good idea if you purchased a tire pressure gauge, so that you can check the pressure any time by yourself. Another key consideration is to ensure the ideal tire pressure (as has been prescribed by the car manufacturer).

In addition to the basic checks outlined above, don't postpone going to a professional mechanic if you sense trouble. Further, regular checkups too would ensure that an impending bigger trouble is forestalled before it blows out of proportion.

Brainy Traffic Intersection – Driving Made Safer

Safety of a car’s occupants is paramount, and automotive accessories like airbags and seat belts, have effectively saved numerous lives. Despite the fact that driving wisely is a precondition to a safe journey, newer safety devices are slowly taking over the responsibility from humans.

Recently, a “smart intersection,” was showcased by the researchers at the Ford’s Research & Innovation Center. The system is a step in the direction of using GPS technology and wireless infrastructure-to-vehicle communications to avert car crashes and to help in preventing traffic jams.

The Smart Intersection

The system comprises electronic technology that monitors traffic signal status, data from Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and digital maps. After which it transmits the information to automobiles.

At the drivers’ end, advanced safety equipment is installed that sounds an alert (audio/visual) to the driver when he’s about to encounter a dangerous situation on the road. For instance, the driver would be cautioned, if the car’s about to rush through a red light, which can be fatal.

What data is exchanged?

The brainy intersection is able to generate and transmit several different types of data to the vehicles. Some of these include digital map of the intersection, another six maps of the area surrounding the stop sign crosswalks and intersections, precise location by using lane-specific GPS, and of course the status whether the signal is red or green and its timing. Once this data is transmitted, the vehicle’s own collision avoidance system processes it to decide whether to act or not.

Importance Of The Technology

A focus on intersections is crucial because research reveals that about 40 percent of all accidents occur at intersections. Further, 20 percent of all who die in fatal crashes are killed at intersections.

Intersections are a fact or roads and they are here to stay, along with the danger they pose. What’s more eye-opening is the fact that based on projections of the U.S. National Intelligence Council, about 66 percent of population would inhabit city regions by 2015, which would be twice as large as today’s figures. Hence systems such as these should pave the way for safer transport.

Automobile safety devices have come a long way from seat belts to the sophisticated devices such as anti-lock braking systems, to “Airbags With Ears!” Still, there’s the challenge for a lot of new age technologies to be successfully implemented, and fast too.

The US Auto Industry’s Worst – Is It?

Carnage of the automotive industry continues, with each passing week throwing in a host of surprising knock out news. Be it the auto major Toyota overtaking GM in auto sales, or the deepest nosedive of Daimler’s stock since 1998, or the Ford’s job cuts of 200 salaried jobs to achieve a 15% workforce reduction by August 2008. Each is indicative of the prevailing turmoil, and has repercussions.

As consumers choose smaller cars auto part manufacturers brace up for supplying more of small car parts. And auto makers have begun contemplating mergers as a more creative way to sail safely through the storm.

June 2008 has seen the worst performance for the US auto industry since 1993 based on Y-on-Y month comparisons, a JD Power news release notes.

Here’s a comparison between 2007 and 2008 light vehicle sales.


Harrowing Forecasts

Earlier, the projections for the sale of light-vehicle for 2008 was about 14.95 million units, but today the forecast stands corrected at 14.2 million units for the year.

Take a look at the US light vehicle sales during the last 11 years.

Compared to 2007, a 12 percent decrease is expected for light vehicle sales in 2008. Further, the decrease would spread over differently across segments.

For instance, while the retail sales are projected to decline by 10 percent to 11.6 million units, the fleet sales would experience a 21 percent decrease to 2.6 million units.

Trends

Almost double the decrease is expected in fleet sales when compared to retail sales. The trend is indicative of the notion that manufacturers would reduce fleet sales, while continuing to salvage earnings from retail sales during the low phase. Incentives too are supposed to be moderate.

Another obvious trend is that consumers’ are switching to smaller vehicles ever since concerns about fuel economy increased, and skyrocketing gas prices fueled the worries more than ever. While the sales of SUV’s have decreased for sure, but the simultaneous increase in sales of smaller autos hasn’t been sufficient to offset the losses due to the fledgling sales in SUV segment.

The following graph shows the shift in sales from last year based on the types of automobiles.

Consider this, compared to the first half of 2007, the 2008 sales figures for SUVs did plummet by 26 percent during the corresponding period, the concurrent compact car segment sales were up only 28 percent. Not enough to make up for the decrease in SUV segment.

A lack of a sharp enough rise in sales in the compact auto segment can in part be attributed to inefficient supplies. For instance, the number of days these cars rested with the dealers (the “days to turn” measure) was an average of 57 days from January till June 2008. But it did show an improvement from May through June by averaging 47 days.

The Reasons

Although the hike in gas prices is often cited as the prime reason affecting the auto industry, other factors such as a weakening economic circumstances (viz. rising inflation, higher unemployment), and the long term side effects of the credit crises are in no way less important.

The Worst Is Yet To Come

Every time things worsen I wish that this is the nadir of it all, but an overwhelming majority of experts opine, that this is to last till at least a year. And now even the earlier forecasts for lower sales have been downgraded further.

Realistic expectations are that the worst is indeed yet to arrive, and that June’s dismal performance isn’t anything out of the ordinary. In fact it’s just a page in the book of industrial downturn. A year’s time is the least that’s needed before things begin to look up. But even a year later it wouldn’t be like abruptly waking up from a nightmare. As in 2009 too, a sudden recovery isn’t expected. Only a small upping to 14.3 million units in sales is forecast, with most of it attributed to retail sales.

Aside from the forecasts, if you’re a marketing pro in the auto parts industry, or are simply interested to know where consumers go about hunting for information before buying cars, check out this post: Automobile Buyers' Hunting Ground.

Are Synthetic Auto Oils Really Better?

Synthetic oils made their debut in the world of automobiles during the early 1970s. To begin with enthusiasts started to use them exclusively for their automobiles' lubrication systems. Many years later however, the manufacturers made them available to everyone. But the question is whether they really provide what they promise?

Synthetic Oils – The Truth

Prior to the entry of the synthetic oils the natural or the mined oils were in use. Although, the synthetic oils are much more advanced and have several benefits over the earlier species (the mined oil). However, it appears that a lot of people still prefer the mined oils, and are yet to try out the synthetics.

The synthetics are better because they are manufactured, rather than drilled out. This means that there aren't as many impurities in the produce than are present in the mineral ones. It's because no unwanted elements are mixed into it. Not to say that crude oil isn't subjected to advanced filtration procedures, but the possibility of impurities landing up in there are higher. As a result even when you remove the oil filters, some impurities that have accumulated in other areas of your engine remain there, and inflict harm on the engine in the long run.

Another benefit of synthetics is better fuel economy, here's how? The lubricating power or “viscosity,” of synthetics is higher than that of the mined ones, which affects performance and eventually the fuel economy. Moreover, a synthetic breaks down much slower, thus you also decrease the number of times it needs to be replaced.

Aside from the performance of your car's engine, the synthetics appear to be more environment too. Because if you changed the oil a lesser number of times each year, then a lesser number of used up oil would need to be recycled.