Friday, March 30, 2012

Change Oil and Oil Filter

Oil is the lifeblood of your car. It keeps hardworking engine parts running clean, smooth and cool. Most owner's manuals suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles (12,070 kilometers). Oil change specialists suggest every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) or three months. The fact is, most of us do a lot of heavy driving during the summer when an engine is more likely to overheat. So at least check your oil before you head out on that road trip with the family.

To check your oil, let your car run for a few minutes, then park it on a level surface and shut off the engine. Open the hood and locate the oil dipstick. You're looking for two things here: the level of oil and how the oil looks. If you're low on oil, you can either add another quart or simply change the oil completely. The oil should look brownish yellow and clean on the stick. If the oil is a dark color or there's a lot of dirt and grime in it, then you definitely need an oil change and oil filter replacement.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Check Your Tires

Tires are one of the most overlooked parts of a car. According the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), only one out of 10 drivers checks his or her tire pressure correctly, compared with almost seven out of 10 who wash their cars regularly. But the truth is that an under-inflated, over-inflated, worn down or misaligned tire can be extremely dangerous, particularly in hot summer weather.

Tire pressure changes with the rising temperatures -- approximately one to two PSI (pounds per square inch) for every 10-degree increase in outside air temperature. Consult your owner's manual or the sidewall of your tire to see what your tire pressure should be and check it with a hand pressure gauge or just let the guys at the service shop do it for you.

An under-inflated tire bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the sidewalls of the tire. With enough heat and pressure, that tire eventually will blow. An over-inflated tire, on the other hand, makes less contact with the road and can lead to hydroplaning in wet conditions.

Use the penny trick to see if you still have enough tread on your tires. Stick a penny in the tread, and if Lincoln's head disappears, you're good. Your local service shop or specialty tire store can also check your tires for proper alignment and balance.

And don't forget about your spare! There's no point in having a spare tire if your spare is in worse condition than the rest. Make sure the spare is properly inflated and has ample tread depth.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Wax to protect your car’s paint job

No way around it! Waxing your car is work. But it’s satisfying work that will help keep your car looking new. Car wax preserves paint by slowing oxidation and forming a barrier against bird droppings, sap, and pollution. Plus driving a nice shiny car is just plain fun.
Here’s what to do to ensure the maximum in protection:
  • Liquid and spray waxes are tempting to use — they make the car shiny with less work than rubbing in paste wax. But there’s still no beating paste wax for the hardest, longest-lasting finish. Look for paste with a high carnauba wax content.
  • Apply a thin, even coat of wax to the car’s surfaces with a damp sponge. Avoid applying too much, or it will be difficult to remove and some residue will inevitably mar your finish.
  • To avoid fine scratches, use a clean, soft cotton or microfiber cloth to remove wax once it has dried.
  • Apply an extra coat of wax to the nose and hood. The wax film in these areas wears away quickly.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Wash in winter, too

If you rarely wash your car during messy winter weather, you are not alone.The cars you see on the road make it obvious that lots of folks figure,”Why bother? The car is going to look awful the next time I drive it.” The problem with this thinking is that washing is more important in the winter than other times of the year. All that sand, slush, and ice mixed with road salt is exactly what makes your car rust.The fastest corrosion occurs when the temperature repeatedly rises above and then falls below freezing. Especially during the messy months, be sure to rinse the undercarriage and hard-to-reach areas that are susceptible to rust, such as the bumpers and inside the wheel wells. If the temperature outside is going to stay above freezing long enough for your car and driveway to dry, fill a bucket with warm water and tackle the job at home. If not, pay a visit to your local car wash and be sure they dry the car thoroughly.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Fill with washer fluid only

Don’t add water to the windshield washer reservoir. It won’t clean as well as washer fluid, and it may freeze in cold weather and damage the system. Don’t try to run your windshield washer system once you suspect there’s no more fluid in the tank, or you may damage the washer fluid pump.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Keep leather from drying out and cracking

Leather cars seats are durable and don’t require a lot of maintenance. After a few years, however, the seats can become soiled. Use a leather cleaner to remove dirt and stains.Then apply a leather protectant formulated for pigmented or top-coated grain leather (the leather used for most leather car upholstery). Protectants will resist stains and make the upholstery easier to clean in the future. Choose a protectant that includes conditioners to keep your leather supple.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Be patient during the break-in period

You’ve bought your dream car and now you want to make it last at long as possible in top condition. Here are some things to remember as you pull it out of the dealer’s lot:
  • During the break-in period, typically the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km), keep your speed under 55 mph (88 kpm) or to the speed recommended by your car’s manufacturer.
  • Avoid heavy loads on the drive train, such as towing trailers, and loading the roof rack or trunk with heavy construction materials.
  • Do not allow your new car to idle for long periods — this is good advice for the life of your car, but especially during breakin. The oil pressure generated by doing so may not be sending oil to every part of your engine.
  • Use only light to medium acceleration, keeping the engine rpms below 3,000 for the first few hours of driving.

Monday, March 5, 2012

2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI

You had to look closely to see what made it special, but the white Beetle on Volkswagen's stand at the Chicago Auto Show had three chrome letters on the liftgate that gave it all away: TDI.

That's VW's name for its diesel models, and the car on display was actually the first official U.S. showing of the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI, which will go on sale later this year.

It's fitted with the familiar 140-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel that's also seen in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI and Golf TDI. It puts out a useful 236 pound-feet of torque, and can be paired with either a six-speed manual gearbox or the company's six-speed "DSG" dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Projected fuel economy is 29 mpg city and 39 mpg highway, according to VW.

Absent a few very minor style tweaks--not only the "TDI" badge on the tailgate but also a chrome window strip and 17-inch alloy wheels--you might be hard-pressed to tell the new Beetle TDI from its gasoline-drinking counterparts, which VW launched for the 2012 model year.


Eager diesel drivers can order either the standard model or the Sunroof model--it adds a sunroof, surprise, surprise--which also upgrades the standard audio system to a Premium VIII system.
The new sound package includes a color touchscreen display, an SD memory card reader, and a six-disc CD changer.

The very top-of-the-line 2013 Beetle TDI goes even further on the audio front, with a Fender premium system that includes a 400-Watt subwoofer from Panasonic, as well as a built-in navigation system with a 5-inch touchscreen display.

Volkswagen hasn't yet released prices for the various Beetle TDI trim levels, but going by the Golf and Jetta lineups, you can expect to pay a few thousand dollars more than the base gasoline engine for the greater torque and better fuel efficiency of the turbodiesel.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

2012 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Clean Diesel Named Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year


Volkswagen‘s Touareg TDI Clean Diesel took the trophy over the BMW X3 and Dodge Journey.
Manager of media relations for Volkswagen of Canada, Thomas Tetzlaff, said the award was a huge honor and that he thought the Touareg won because of its mixed capability to offer cargo capacity and comfort for five while delivering sedan-like fuel economy and the ability to tow a boat.

The decision is the result of AJAC’s Test Fest where 70 Canadian automotive journalists gather toward the end of each year to drive and judge the year’s new models.

Cars are initially judged within their segment, the winners may go on to be selected as the car of the year.
Last year AJAC picked the 2011 Ford Edge as the winner.