Driving an automobile is a luxury that most of us take for granted. Automobiles are the primary means of transportation in United States, with ninety percent of American adults owning or previously owning a car or truck. What we don’t realize is that operating a car or truck is a responsibility that can bring serious consequences. Every year in the United States alone, more than ten thousand vehicular accidents occur. An average of four hundred Americans die each year as the result of automotive accidents. It’s a tragic figure, especially when you consider that many of these accidents could be prevented with proper maintenance and routine check-ups. Keeping your car well-maintained means reducing the risk of mishap or even death, and protecting your loved ones and fellow drivers.

Before hitting the road, be sure to conduct these checkups regularly:

Tires Most Americans use all-season tires. These tires should carry you safely from season to season, but it is imperative that you check the tires regularly for wear or damage. Ideally, tires should be checked on a weekly basis.

Brakes The brake system serves one main purposes: to slow down or stop the car when it is needed. If you step on the brake pedal and it goes all the way to the floor, you’ve got trouble. Late-model automobiles are equipped with a brake warning light. This dashboard indicator will light up if something is wrong with your brake system. If your brake warning light indicates trouble, it is imperative that you check the brake system immediately. Consult your owner’s manual for maintenance advice, and call an experienced mechanic for repairs. Brake repairs or replacements are no job for a weekend or hobby mechanic.

Headlights In 2005, over 2,300 pedestrians died because drivers suffered eye problems or had faulty headlights in the automobiles. Properly maintained vehicle headlights help you drive safely, and see more clearly. Replace your headlight bulbs at least once per year.

Wipers Many people don’t think of changing their wiper blades until it is too late. This is one of the easiest and most inexpensive parts of the car to maintain. Change your wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and just before winter.

There are 10 common reasons why automobile owners visit the mechanic:

1. Electronic/Ignition control 2. Suspension/steering 3. Electrical problem 4. Brake system 5. Oil change/filters/lube 6. Exhaust system 7. Radiator repairs 8. Fuel system/carburetor 9. Clutch/transmission 10. Air conditioning system

Routine check ups and proper maintenance of a car be expensive, and budget restrictions are often the leading factors in keeping car owners from living up to their responsibilities. This does not need to be a problem. The key is in knowing how to save on car maintenance and repairs. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) confirmed that $20 billion has been wasted on unnecessary auto repairs due to fraud and incompetence.

If your car is not performing to its full potential, remember the following tips to help you save money on repairs:

Preventive Maintenance Be your car’s best friend, and you can save a bundle. By conducting regular preventative maintenance, such as regular oil changes and radiator flushes, you prevent unnecessary damage to the car and save a lot of money in the long run. Regular checkups by a qualified repairperson will keep your car running better, longer.

Conserve Even automobiles need to take a break now and then. If you drive your car everyday the miles will add up quickly, and damage can occur prematurely. To avoid this, consider carpooling with friends and coworkers. Ask around to form your own carpool group. You’ll all save on maintenance, and you’ll be able to pool your fuel and parking expenses.

Estimate Before choosing a mechanic to repair your car, be sure to get a written estimate. If the mechanic wants more than your budget can afford, shop around. Compare estimates to find the best deal. Just be sure that you are paying for quality service.

Do It Yourself You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish after doing a little research. Read over your owner’s manual from time to time. Learn as much as you can about your car. Understand potential problems and how to solve them. For example, that mysterious clunking noise might be bothersome, but could be as simple to fix as tightening a bolt. Regular maintenance tasks like oil changes and radiator flushes are fairly easy to do if you understand your vehicle and take the time to do the job properly.

As an automobile owner, you have a responsibility to keep your car properly maintained at all times. Consider it an investment in your car’s future, and remember that it could save a life.

Learning a little more about how to better care for your vehicles is a good idea for any number of reasons. It allows you to know if an unscrupulous mechanic is attempting to gouge you on your repairs – and that will save you money. It can prevent you from making unnecessary repairs – and that will save you money. It can help you locate a problem and fix it early, thus saving more money – sometimes a whole lot of money. It allows you to be more independent in an era where people are entirely too dependent on others to survive.

We need to get started now, so that we have time to cover everything…

First, do a visual check of your vehicle. The following will assist you in where to look, and for what:

•Look at your tires. Do they look low? A tire pressure gauge, available inexpensively at any discount store of auto parts store will help you make sure tire pressure stays dead on. Maintain as necessary. Better tire pressures will make your vehicle safer, and more fuel efficient. There are some very inexpensive air pumps for sale at discount stores – should you really want to stay on top of air pressure in your tires. Motorcyclists and moped riders need to be exceptionally concerned about their tire pressures.

•Look closely at your tires and inspect for severely worn edges, areas missing chunks of rubber, or objects sticking into the tire. Maintain or replace as necessary. If your tires are relatively new, and they seem to be wearing unevenly, take you vehicle into the shop for an alignment, and likely a tire rotation. These two things are frequently lumped together in less costly automotive service “specials.”

•Look under the vehicle for liquids. One drop usually means nothing. Look for consistent drip marks. Remember that during summer months your vehicle’s air conditioning will steadily drip water when in use – no worries. Your coolant system may also spew an occasional bit of water/anti-freeze, and that’s okay too. If you find a stain indicating long-term or consistent leaking, trace the leak to its source: engine oil, transmission fluid, rear end oil, etc. Maintain or repair as necessary. Sometimes, just getting under the vehicle with a pressure hose at the car wash will clean off years of old oil and debris that causes many ‘driveway’ leaks – thus fixing the faux leak.

•Visually check your engine oil. Check it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and also feel it with your fingers. Engine oil is the life blood of your vehicle’s power plant. Does the oil feel thick, or does it feel watery. Thick is good, watery is bad! Change watery oil (and be sure to use an Engine Sentry when you do change oil and filter). Add the appropriate oil if the level registers low. NEVER overfill your oil!

•Check the coolant level. Be sure to use caution, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid injury from hot, pressurized liquids. Maintain as necessary. If you haven’t had your coolant/anti-freeze checked lately, it might be advisable. Be sure to never add coolant or anti-freeze that is not recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Some radiators require special products so as not to erode or corrode them.

•Visually check your engine compartment. Tighten caps, firmly tug/test hose connections, look for worn things, things that have blown into the engine compartment, etc. Maintain or repair as necessary. This is also a good time to do light engine cleaning. Nothing too serious, just some rags and some degreaser: ammonia and water make a cheap, great degreaser, but it shouldn’t be used on aluminum – certainly not left on it. A toothbrush is also an excellent tool here – it makes quick work of much engine debris.

•Visually check your automotive battery and connections. Make sure the connections feel tight at the battery. If you have green or white build-up on the battery, mix some baking soda with tepid water (1/4-cup of baking soda to one quart of water) and stir it thoroughly. Now, slowly pour it directly over the affected areas. Don’t worry about all the fizzing and crackling – it’s just cleaning. Make sure you do this where the runoff won’t harm anything. An old toothbrush will make this go faster. When the terminals are clean and dry, apply a thin coating of automotive grease onto each battery terminal, and connection. Automotive grease comes in small, plastic tubs that weigh about a pound each. They’re cheap, so get a good brand name. I use popsicle sticks to spread it with. Grease is good to have around for many automotive fixes and preventive maintenance actions.

Okay, you’ve completed the first steps of becoming a full-fledged automotive diagnostician – or something like that, anyway. You’ve definitely gotten your vehicle in much better condition, and you should have learned a thing or two. Keep an eye out for part II – Hear No Evil, and Part III – Smell No Evil.

Engine Sentry is a registered trademark of Iron Horseman Technologies. Iron Horseman Technologies is the trademark of Iron Horseman Technologies in Tucson, Arizona.

Learning a little more about how to better care for your vehicles is a good idea for any number of reasons. It allows you to know if an unscrupulous mechanic is attempting to gouge you on your repairs – and that will save you money. It can prevent you from making unnecessary repairs – and that will save you money. It can help you locate a problem and fix it early, thus saving more money – sometimes a whole lot of money. It allows you to be more independent in an era where people are entirely too dependent on others to survive.

We need to get started now, so that we have time to cover everything…

Some people are incredibly sensitive to the sounds their vehicles make. This is especially true of motorcyclists, those who refurbish vintage automobiles, and experienced mechanics. It’s a very worthwhile skill to develop. There are mechanics who can listen to a running car engine and tell if the timing is slightly off, or the injectors are not operating properly. While this is a very neat thing to be able to do, you do not have to elevate your listening skills to that lofty place in order to get benefits from listening to your vehicle.

Listen To the Engine (This is best done in relatively quiet surroundings until you get really good at it.) Open up the hood of your vehicle’s engine compartment. If necessary on your model, be sure to use the metal rod to lock the hood in the upright/open position. Now, start your engine. Allow the engine to run for 30-60 seconds before you start listening too hard. Also, there are many moving parts inside of engine compartments, don’t wear loose clothing, and mind all your fingers and hair! Safety first.

A brief word about engine sounds… All engines make sounds. Some sound like jets, and other have constant clicking noises, or humming, or clattering. Which sounds are consistently made, and are okay, are unique to your specific vehicle’s engine. The point being, don’t be alarmed the first time you really take a good listen to your engine. You’ll quickly learn the sounds that are okay, and the ones that are not.

You’re going to listen to your engine from three different positions: 1) Directly in front of the car. 2) On the left (driver’s side) side of the engine compartment. 3) On the right (passenger’s side) side of the engine compartment. I like to start I like to start on the left – right in front of the driver’s door.

Lean over the engine compartment (again – be careful with clothing, hair, and appendages) and listen carefully. Try closing your eyes to heighten your hearing. Listen for things that don’t sound ‘right.’ Such things might include: clattering, metal rubbing metal, clanging, and squeaks. If you hear such a thing, open your eyes and try to focus in on it – moving the position of your head and ears as your track the sound to its source. Repeat this process at all three positions previously described.

This method of checking your engine can reveal loose caps, loose fan belts, loose fans, missing bolts, nuts, and many other things. Correct what you are able to, and have anything else dealt with by a service technician. Don’t put your hands into your engine compartment to tighten something or check something while it is running. If you notice that the stays on the overflow tube are loose and rattling, turn off the engine before tightening.

Driving your car for a short distance over a good road with the radio and air conditioning off and the windows down is a good way to hear some other sounds. Clattering might mean you have a lug nut that came off, and it’s stuck inside the hubcap. A metal-rubbing-metal sound may be a stuck brake.

The last listening project/technique is the best – or at least so people tell me. This one requires a willing and able assistant. The two of you climb into the vehicle together – you drive, the assistant rides shotgun. The assistant will require four things: some WD-40, a notepad, a small can of 3-in-1 oil, and a good rag. Head for a road that isn’t so smooth, and simply drive along. The assistant listens for those irritating squeaks, squeals, and rattles.

The assistant should move around inside the vehicle, focusing on the sounds to locate their sources. One of the two lubricants will fix almost any squeaking – and the rag ensures a nice, tidy application of the chosen lubricant. Some things, such as loose or missing screws or bolts, should be recorded on the notepad for maintenance or repair later, when you get back home to the tools. You won’t believe how quiet your cockpit becomes after you perform this process once or twice.

Okay, you’ve completed another step in becoming a full-fledged automotive diagnostician – or something like that, anyway. You’ve definitely gotten your vehicle in much better condition, and you should have learned a thing or two. Check out Part I – See No Evil, and Part III – Smell No Evil.

Learning a little more about how to better care for your vehicles is a good idea for any number of reasons. It allows you to know if an unscrupulous mechanic is attempting to gouge you on your repairs – and that will save you money. It can prevent you from making unnecessary repairs – and that will save you money. It can help you locate a problem and fix it early, thus saving more money – sometimes a whole lot of money. It allows you to be more independent in an era where people are entirely too dependent on others to survive.

We need to get started now, so that we have time to cover everything…

It may sound strange that smelling your vehicle can be a useful maintenance activity, but believe me it is. And I’m not just talking about needing to buy one of those cute little green trees that permeate every inch of your vehicle’s interior with the smell of pine – or something like that. Actually, you really already do this in at least one instance – the smell of gasoline. And we’ll cover that herein.

Let’s begin with the smell of smoke. If your vehicle is smoking anywhere at any time it’s time to get some service – immediately. It doesn’t matter if you smell the smoke, or see it – you need to deal with the problem ASAP. Smoke coming from anywhere is never ‘okay’ in a vehicle, though you may just have some spilled fluids on a hot engine surface, or some oil that splashed into your wheel assembly. No matter – get it checked and make sure.

The smell of gas is most often associated with a flooded engine: too much gas for the spark to ignite. The gas sits in the engine, and the odor becomes more noticeable for a short time, and then starts to rapidly dissipate. This tends to happen only when you are starting the engine. The smell of gas at any other time, or the constant smell of gas is indicative of another type of problem, and one that is potentially serious, or dangerous: a leak in the fuel system. You should have this checked out by a qualified mechanic as soon as possible.

The smell of rotten eggs, usually associated with sulfur or burning sulfur, is likely a problem with your catalytic converter. Servicing a catalytic converter is highly technical, and will require the attention of a trained technician or mechanic. You should make an appointment for your vehicle as soon as possible. A maladjusted or failing catalytic converter can be costing you precious mileage!

The smell of burning bread, sometimes referred to as ‘burnt toast,’ is most often associated with an electrical short circuit or possibly the burning/melting of the insulation around the affected wires, fuses, or connections. If there are any secondary signs, then you should not run the engine until a qualified technician resolves the issue. Left unchecked, electrical shorts can affect many of the systems in your vehicle.

A sweet odor, especially when mixed with the smell of hot rubber, usually means there’s a coolant leak, or a problem with the cooling system. If you are driving, stop and visually check the engine and the radiator. Driving a vehicle with an overheated engine can do untold damage to all sorts of things, and turn a simple repair with a modest cost into a nightmarish expense that prevents you from using your vehicle for days, or even weeks.

The smell of burning oil is a pungent, acrid stench that can be very slight, or quite pronounced. In either case, you need to check your engine to make sure you don’t have an oil leak, and also to ensured that you have the recommended amount of oil in your engine. Usually, the smell of burning oil is something minor, such as a small spill on the engine, a slight overflow that got blown onto a hot engine part, or low engine oil. Be sure that when you change your engine oil you insist on an Engine Sentry®.

Okay, you’ve completed the final step in becoming a full-fledged automotive diagnostician – or something like that, anyway. You’ve definitely gotten your vehicle in much better condition, and you should have learned a thing or two to keep it running great for a long time to come. If you haven’t already, check out Part I – See No Evil, and Part II – Hear No Evil.

With the augmenting prices of gasoline these days, managing fuel costs has become quite difficult for an ordinary man. However, one cannot keep the costs under control; he may go along with a few gas saving tips and tricks to improve the fuel consumption.

The first gas saving tip is associated with the car engine. Revving engine before turning it off should be avoided as it results in the expenditure of fuel. Moreover, idling the engine for prolonged durations has a negative affect on the fuel consumption. Warming up the engine for 35-40 seconds is advisable for saving gas.

Buying the gas skillfully may also contribute towards the recovery of the fuel cost problem. Gasoline should be purchased during early morning or evening because of being highly dense at the respective times. Furthermore, it should not be filled to the top of tank as it results in spilling over, thus draining a considerable amount of gasoline.

Changing one’s ways of operating a vehicle and altering motoring habits may also lead to effective gas saving. Driving the car at 55 mph results in a better gas mileage while use of 5th gear is recommended. Traveling at a high velocity with low gears should be avoided. Moreover, keeping air conditioner turned off while driving also improves the gas mileage.

Besides these, driving on straight roads and avoiding twists and turns conserves the gas. Brakes should not be pumped too often while the gas pedal should be pressed lightly. Carrying heavy loads in the car’s dickey should be obviated. Regular servicing of the car is necessary and the tires should be frequently checked for air pressure. Frequent examination of the chassis parts and the air filters is also commended. Above all, use of the lowest octane gas and a suitable fuel saver such as Tornado fuel saver plays a significant role in gas conservation. Tornado fuel saver functions as a gas-saving tool and can be used in a car, SUV or a truck.

The above-mentioned gas saving tips and tricks will surely benefit the driving enthusiasts. However, if any sort of assistance is needed, CarSnaps customer support is there to lend you a hand. Alternatively, you can start a thread in the Automotive Forum for seeking any kind of advice concerning gas saving techniques.

So you just got a stock V6 Mustang and you want to make it faster. Well there are a few things you will or should know before you consider this. As im sure a few older gents on here would back me up on this post so here we go.

1. What are your long term goals for this new car?

2. What is your current budget to spend on this car?

3. Do you want to make it a daily driver? Trailer queen? or road course?

4. What is you basic knowledge of vehicles and electrical systems?

5. Do you have the time?

Alot of people want the fastest car, the best looking car or the loudest car. That is becuase everyone who owns a mustang gets the itch. And im not talking about down there, im talking about the power itch, the speed itch, the ability to take that corner at 55 and come out running. With most major bolt on mods, you can do them yourself with some specialty tools and a good set of hand tools. Some require welding, which most places can do for a flat rate of “X” amount of dollars where “X” is the hourly shop rate.

Now were going to get into the specific mods.

CAI- Cold Air Intake.

There are many different type of CAI available on the market. The fender well CAI places the air filter in the fender well to get cool air as it rushes under the passenger headlight. This is an excellent first mod, because all you need are some hand tools and the instructions.

Plastic vs. Metal

These are the two types of materials CAI come in. Some people like the metal chrome brushed ones because it adds a nice look under the hood. Unfortunately Metal heats up from outside sources(ie., engine bay) and internal friction of the air passing through it. Plastic on the other hand stays cool because it is not a conductor of heat. the engine bay heat or air friction will not cause this intake to heat up.

Mass Air Sensor and Housing

This is the peice that is inside your stock air box, and is, in my opinion, one of the bottle necks on the intakes today. The Mass Air Sensor, or MAS, measures the amount of air comming into the engine and sends that information to the ECU, where the ECU does its thing and tell Mr. Fuel Injector’s how much fuel to dump in accordance to the Air Fuel mixture. Lets say you have a 3″ (76.1mm) CAI and a stock MAS. You’ll be pulling in alot of air fairly quickly @ Wide open Throttle, or WOT. Lets do a in home test, if you have a cylindrical container about 6-12″ long get it. If it is open on both ends, blow threw it, and what happened? The air came out the other side with no problems, right? Now cover up 1/3rd of the other end and try again, little harder? Same concept on your intake. Still need convincing? Have you ever tried to vacuum up something to big for the vacuum? kinda struggled didn’t it? exactly.

Throttle Body

This is one of those black sheep parts where bigger isnt better. 99+ Stock I think has a 65mm Throttle Body, or TB from now on. If your not turbo, supered or No2′ed this mod shouldn’t be in the future until after a Power Adder, or PA.

Headers

Well, once again this is another mod that doesn’t really do anything for your vehicle unless you have significant mods and are going for a PA in the future, otherwise, youll get some hourse of “Fun”

Exhaust

The second mod most people will do if not the first on their mustang. When concidering an exhaust you have to take into account that a V6 will never sound like a V8, its impossible unless you buy 2 more cylinders. The stock V6 exhaust comes out of each exhaust manifold and “Y”’s into on right after the catalytic converters. When buying a kit, you can either look for one that is complete, meaning comes with the Y adapter and passenger side hangers for the muffler and tailpipe. Or you can piece together one for a few bucks cheaper and hope it all fits. My advice, dont go cheap, becuase you get what you pay for. Which brings me to backpressure. When your choosing your exhaust make sure you dont go over 2.5″ or else youll lose backpressure. without backpressure the V6 will hate you and will not run right at all. You can go bigger then 2.5″ if your Turboed or Supercharged, other then that I wouldnt recommend it.

Exhaust Tips

We can get this one from our axis the ricers. Exhaust tips dont add HP they add noise, it is more of a placebo effect when you add 3.5″ tips on your 2.5″ exhaust, you think it is faster becuase the box says “adds upto 5 RWHP!!!” well it doesnt. But when you get in your car sounds louder then it did before, so you think its faster.

Under Drive Pulleys

There are a few out there some are cheap and some are expensive. What to look for when buying a set is the hardware they come with, instructions and a package deal. RPM-Outlet has 42% MotoBlue Underdrive Pulleys, or UDP from now on, for around $208 shipped. If you have a big stereo in your car, I would say 2000-5000Watts, you really want to be carefull of the UDP’s. They will slow your accessories a certain %, and could affect your cooling, charging and Air Condition. They wont affect every car, but there is a possibility. Steeda and ARP have some 25% UDP which are a little more expensive and, well your paying for the name mostly. Installation is about a 1-2 hour job depending on your mechanical level. Hint: A pulley Puller helps installation.

“It’s all about beating the clock.” This quote comes from a wise old service manager, advising me on how to maximize my income as a flat-rate technician. If you have ever wondered why your car doesn’t get fixed correctly, or all your concerns weren’t addressed, you can blame, in part, the flat-rate pay structure.

Flat-rate simply means that your mechanic is paid a flat fee for a particular repair, regardless of how long the repair actually takes. In other words, if your car needs a water pump, which pays two hours of labor, and the mechanic completes the job in one hour, he gets paid for two.

In theory, this can work to your advantage. If the job takes longer, you still only pay the “predetermined” labor amount. In THEORY, not reality!

The flat-rate pay structure is designed to drive productivity. It’s very effective. The flat-rate pay system encourages technicians to work hard and fast, but it does not promote quality.

In terms of getting your car fixed correctly, the flat-rate pay structure has disastrous effects. Flat-rate technicians are constantly looking for shortcuts to beat the clock in order to maximize the number of hours they bill. Experienced flat-rate technicians can bill anywhere from 16 to 50 hours in an 8 hour day.

It’s these shortcuts and the breakneck speed at which flat rate technicians work that result in some of the most idiotic mistakes. In the rapid-fire pace of a shop I’ve witnessed technicians start engines with no oil. I’ve seen transmissions dropped, smashing into little pieces onto the shop floor. And I’ve seen cars driven right through bay doors—all in the name of “beating the clock.”

Flat-rate technicians can get quite elaborate with shortcuts. My favorite was the implementation of an 6-foot-long 2-by-4, which was placed under the engine for support while a motor mount was removed. It made a job predetermined to take 1.5 hours achievable in twenty minutes. A win-win, right? The technician makes extra money; you get your car back faster.

Actually, in many cases the placement of this 2-by-4 damaged the oil pan. Moreover, it caused the car, your car, to balance precariously 6 feet in the air, while the technician manipulated the car lift to access your engine mount.

This tactic was abruptly discontinued when a technician’s 2-by-4 snapped causing the car to crash nose down onto the concrete floor.

Sometimes the shortcuts create very subtle disturbances, which create problems overtime. A quick example: a vehicle had its transmission serviced with a new filter, gasket, and fluid. During the procedure, the technician was able to save time by bending the transmission dipstick tube slightly, in order to get the transmission pan out faster. The vehicle was reassembled, and the technician re-bent the tube back into place and off it went—no worries….

Six months later, the vehicle returned with an intermittent misfire. The engine wasn’t running on all cylinders. After extensive diagnostics, it was discovered that the transmission dipstick tube had chaffed through the engine harness, intermittently grounding out an injector. Hmm, that’s strange. Don’t usually see that.

The high-speed environment and the subsequent shortcuts illustrate the devastating effects of the flat-rate, sales-driven pay structure on the quality of car repairs.

No wonder even an oil change gets screwed up!

The poor quality of work encouraged by the flat rate pay structure is disconcerting enough. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop here. The negative effects of flat-rate get exponentially worse, as it opens “wide” the door to rip you off!

For a repair shop, there is little profit in the $29.95 oil change. By the time a shop pays its technician, pays for the oil, the filter, and the hazardous waste disposal fees, there’s no money left.

This low profit margin is worsened by the extremely competitive “Quick Lube” business, which forces local repair shops to refrain from raising prices, despite rising costs.

This all begs the question: If oil change specials, which range from $15.95 to $29.95, clearly produce very low profits, then why do so many service facilities advertise oil change specials?

The answer is actually very simple: It gets you in the door. Service centers know that once they have your vehicle, they can sell you additional work.

Suggesting additional work is called upselling, and it’s a primary profit tactic of every service facility.

Here’s a typical example. You drop your vehicle off for “just an oil change.” Upon completion your service representative smiles and proudly states, “We noticed that your air filter was dirty; so we popped in a new one.” You may think “Great; what wonderful service!”

What really occurred is that you were casually upsold an air filter. It probably wasn’t needed; it certainly wasn’t replaced according to any factory recommendation, and you were definitely overcharged for what was most likely a poorly-fitting, aftermarket, inferior air filter.

Here’s a real-life example that occurred recently. This particular vehicle had 54,000 miles on it, and was dropped off at a local shop for “just an oil change.” Upon paying the bill, the customer was handed an estimate for $199 to replace his air filter and top radiator hose.

Shocked at the price, he called me.

After review, I found that the air filter suggestion was premature. It didn’t need replacement until the manufacturer’s recommended 60,000-mile service interval. The top hose was also premature. In fact, it did not need replacement at all, despite a very minor problem easily addressed during the factory maintenance schedule—at no extra cost.

Check out the aftermarket part prices quoted below (including the unnecessary radiator hose). Compare these to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the factory OEM parts (Original Equipment Manufacturer).

Local Shop Aftermarket Air Filter: $32 Manufacturer OEM Filter, MSRP: $17

Local Shop Aftermarket Top Hose: $36 Manufacturer OEM Top Hose, MSRP: $19

Notice that this local shop was doubling the price of the OEM parts with its inferior aftermarket parts.

Now, let’s look at the labor time quoted.

Local Shop Labor Time: 2.0 @ $60 per hour = $120 Manufacturer Labor Time: 0.9 @ $60 per hour = $81

Notice that the shop labor time estimate for the repairs was 2 hours. This is more than “twice” the manufacturer’s recommendations (even after calculating manufacturer times against the industry standard multiplier).

Had the local shop abided by the vehicle’s particular maintenance intervals instead of trying to make a quick buck, it should have recommended a 60,000-mile service at the next visit. This would have better served the client, saved him $199, and maintained the vehicle properly.

Instead, the service center lost a customer, forever!

What needs to be made crystal clear is that this type of price-gouging occurs every day in every type of service facility in one form or another across the automotive service industry.

This type of price-gouging is considered normal!

For the average individual who knows little about cars or mechanics, buying a used car can be a worrying experience. Buying a car is often one of the biggest purchases we make in our lives and the nagging doubt of whether or not you are about to buy a lemon always makes buying a used car difficult. So how do you go about choosing a car that is unlikely to be a lemon?

If you have found a “bargain” or a car you like the look of go check it out. At this stage it is always useful to take someone who knows something about cars with you if you can. If you haven’t got anyone whose opinion you can trust then you are going to have to use your own instincts.

Check for obvious accident damage. Accident damaged cars can be spotted by little tell tail signs. Look for signs of overspray to panels, bumpers and fittings, look for areas of paintwork that are inconsistent with the general condition of the car (these may indicate filled dents, filled rotten patches) and check that all the tyres are wearing evenly (uneven wear may indicate the car isn’t running straight and true as a result of a crash or poorly executed accident repair).

If you are happy there are no obvious clues to suggest accident damage check the general condition of the car for wear. Is the amount of wear consistent with the mileage of the car? Worn foot mats, shiny steering wheels and worn/damaged driver seats are not what you would expect to find on a low mileage car.

Does the car have missing interior fittings or scratched paint work? Would you expect a car you owned from new for a number of years to have accrued a similar amount of damage? Make a mental note of the amount of wear for bargaining purposes should you decide to buy the car.

Check the vehicle for rot in the doorways and wheel arches. A little rot can become a serious costly problem after as little as one year. A lot of rot, especially to structural areas of the car where panels and sections of the car come together could indicate the car is not safe to drive.

Once you have established the car looks to be cosmetically genuine and that the condition is as you would expect for the cars age start to look at the mechanics of the car. Check the oil on the dipstick. Are there bubbles in the oil? If there are bubbles this is a sure sign of water in the oil and likely to result in expensive repair. Check the water filler. Is there a white residue on the cap or visible in the filler area. This is an expensive sign of oil in the water. Check the oil filter (easy to spot, generally looks like a brightly painted tin can sticking out of the side of the engine) does it look to be recently fitted or like it has been on for some time. This is a standard part that is replaced at service and can indicate how the owner has been treating the car.

Start the motor up. Does the engine rattle or have a pronounced ticking noise or does it sound healthy? Is the exhaust loud or well silenced you don’t need to be paying for a new exhaust system. Once the engine has warmed go look at the exhaust. Are there large quantities of smoke, black or white being omitted? Both can indicate expensive faults. At this stage check to make sure headlamps, indicator and brake lights work.

If all seems fine the next step is a test drive. Check the steering. Is it light or vague, neither is a good sign. Does the wheel have a large amount of play in it? Steering is important for clear safety reasons. The steering should be responsive and direct. Neither to heavy nor light.

Check the brakes. Do they inspire confidence? They should pull the car firmly to a stop in a straight line without fading or feeling as if they are about to run out. Find a car park or space where you can turn the car on full lock in both directions. Do the front wheels grind or shriek? This could indicate expensive wheel bearing problems.

If you do not come across these problems then it is fair to say you have a solid used car that is unlikely to be a lemon. Now if you can recall all the little details you spotted you can use these points to bargain a good price and buy the used car with the confidence that you have avoided a lemon.

Many argue that dealership prices are 4 to 6 times higher than local shops. This is farfetched. That would mean that $100 at a local shop would be $400 to $600 at a dealership. Dealerships aren’t run by the sharpest businessmen, but this kind of pricing discrepancy would put dealers out of business, fast. The sources calculating such pricing gaps are never quoted, so I am not sure from where such data comes, but let’s look at what’s really going on.

First, 98 % of ALL service centers are overcharging. This includes dealerships, local shops and franchises. Stating that dealerships charge four to six times higher unfairly singles out this portion of the industry. We need to watch out for every type of service facility. While it’s always easier to focus on the big, faceless name of a dealership, it’s unwise. Your local mechanic who you pass in the grocery store is just as likely to rip you off.

Surprisingly, in many respects, a dealership is often less expensive. To be clear, I am not siding with dealerships. Again, no matter what type of facility one services a vehicle, some type of price-gouging will occur. Having said that, here are some common myths about dealership prices.

MYTH 1: The parts are more money.

This is not true. Dealers, for the most part, stick to MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) guidelines. Guidelines, as abused as they are, are better than none. Local shops have no guidelines. They can charge whatever they want.

We’ve all been taught that aftermarket parts are less expensive than factory/MSRP parts—this is not true. A frequent “case in point” is air filter prices. Below is a sample from one of many actual invoices:

Dealership/MSRP Price: $17.00 (factory fiber filter) Local Shop/Aftermarket Price: $32.00 (aftermarket paper filter)

Tip…always compare you’re aftermarket part price against MSRP, you’ll be surprised just how much your local garage is charging you for inferior parts.

MYTH 2: The labor “time” is higher.

Actually, many dealers follow manufacturer recommendations and industry standard multipliers. In other words, they’re not just shooting from the hip. The labor time (i.e., how long it takes to repair something—1, 2, 3 hours…etc.) may be lower than the resulting times from the labor price-gouging tricks practiced by your local garage.

This is not to say that dealers don’t practice labor tricks—they’re the masters! It is to say that they are more inclined to follow suggested guidelines.

MYTH 3:

Dealers always rip people off.

In the automotive service industry, every type of service center rips you off, dealers are no exception.

The cold air intake system was launched in the late 1980s. This system includes intake tubes which are made up of molded plastic, and a cotton-gauze air filter. A cold air intake system is used to increase the power of your car, truck or SUV’s engine, by reducing the temperature of the air going into it. These aftermarket parts are available in different colors and sizes, as another objective of this system is to enhance the look of your vehicle’s engine bay and also to create an attractive intake noise. Installing a cold air intake is an inexpensive way to increase the performance of your vehicle.

A cold air intake system is responsible for increasing the amount of oxygen, which is necessary for combustion along with fuel. It provides cold air to the hot engine and protects your vehicle from mechanical imbalance.

While purchasing a cold air intake, you have to take notice of the following points:

• The diameter of the air intake should be big for free flow of air. • Interiors of tubes should be smooth to reduce the blockage of air. • Air filters should be efficient.

Different materials like plastic, metal, silicone, fiberglass or carbon fibers are used to make cold air intakes.

A short ram air intake is the alternative to a cold air intake. It comes with a short metal or plastic tube with a conical air filter, and is fitted inside the engine bay. Because it increases the airflow to the engine, a short ram air intake is more effective than the stock air intake. In some cases however, the hot air from around the engine can reduce performance, but the use of a heat shield will solve this problem.

Carbon fibers can replace metal for piping, as this reduces weight and insolates air at a higher speed.

Most cold air intakes come ready to install, and you can quite easily fit one yourself. It’s simply a matter of removing the stock air intake system from your vehicle and installing the new cold air intake. The air will enter from an external source – from the front bumper, fenders or a hood scoop. By providing increased airflow at a suitable temperature, the cold air intake can prove its credibility.

These cold air intakes are not as effective in rain as in other seasons. This is because during the rainy season, the flow of air is not proper. There is also the problem of your air intake being exposed to water. Too much water ingested into the engine will cause serious damage. To bypass this problem, you can install a water shield or relocate the air intake so that it is inside the engine bay.

In upshot, it is a good idea to use a cold air intake in your car or truck, as it will result in improved performance and better gas mileage also.