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Have You Ever...- 02-20-08

Not Gotten That Noise Checked Out?

By ChaChanna Simpson

For those of you who have cars, there has definitely been a time when something is just not working right with your vehicle. And it usually happens when you least expect it. You may hear a sound that you haven’t before or you may have brought your car in to get a check-up and are told there is a slight problem. Immediately you think of how much money you have and if this is going to be a problem that can wait until later. Because if it can you sure would rather wait then spend that money now. But sometimes the little problems that if you had just fixed at the beginning can turn into a HUGE expense later on.

My life lesson happened when I got my first brand new car. After a couple of months, it started making a screeching noise, like a high-pitched squeal. If I let the car continue to run it would eventually go away, so I figured it was no big deal. I waited. And then two months later I decided I couldn’t take the sound anymore and brought it to the mechanic. I was told that if I had just brought the car in when I first heard the noise, they could have fixed the problem and it would have cost me around $75. But because I waited, the problem grew and I had to spend over $600 to get the car fixed. I don’t even remember what the problem was and anytime I hear someone else’s car screeching I think to myself. Don’t wait, it will cost ya?

So that got me thinking; what other minor things can I do now to prevent me from ruining my car in the future? Steven Eppinger, Founder & CEO of Ownersite.com was kind enough to give me a list.

Tires: Not maintaining proper tire pressure can lead to shorter tire life, worse fuel economy, unsafe driving conditions, increased braking distances and, in the worst case scenario, vehicle rollovers and death, as with the Ford Explorer issues of several years ago.

Overlooking or ignoring a noise that does not sound normal or familiar, hoping that it will just go away, can ultimately lead to very expensive engine or other mechanical repairs, especially when a car is no longer under warranty. I wish I had known about this one sooner.

Doing something as simple as not having the oil changed on a regular basis can, and will, lead to premature wear of critical engine parts, which can lead to complete engine failure. Read: Your car will not run anymore.

Not keeping your car's interior and exterior clean might not lead to huge mechanical problems (with the exception of corrosion creating salt-covered winter roads of the northeast), but can cost you money in the long-run. A well maintained vehicle is simply worth more money come trade-in time, so taking good physical care of it is very important. Never considered this before, I might want to run a vacuum in my car. Right now it looks like I live in my car. Gross!

One thing I know that you are supposed to do but somehow I just don’t seem to, because I’m usually in between jobs, is follow your car’s manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule. “A car is nothing more than a mechanical device with moving parts, parts that are designed to wear out and need replacement. By following the manufacturer's schedule specifically, you are taking care of those parts based on the years of experience observed by the manufacturer for their vehicles, and you are probably going to save money by following that schedule,” says Eppinger.

What I want to stress out of the list that Eppinger gave us is the oil change. I know some people who will wait months and months before getting an oil change or see the oil light indicator come on the dashboard, and still not doing anything about it. A simple oil change is so vital to your car’s operation. If you don’t change the oil in your car you will absolutely ruin it. You’re probably wondering, well if the oil is already in there, why do I have to continue to change it? As the oil breaks down, it loses its thickness, also lessons its ability to lubricate the engine and all the other parts so that they move smoothly with precision.

Some companies that specialize in oil changing say you should change your oil every 3,000 miles. While manufacturers are now saying that you should change it every 7,500 miles. Your best bet is to follow your manufacturer’s suggestions because they are the ones who built the car and should know what’s best.

One more thing I wanted to touch on is maintaining the air pressure in your tires and rotating them. You know you are supposed to keep your tires inflated, right? Having low air pressure will eat up your gas mileage. If your tires are low, you can go to any gas station and get free air. I’ve heard that instead of oxygen you should be putting nitrogen in your tires because it is supposed to be better at maintaining air pressure, therefore you will use less fuel. “But, given the additional cost of using nitrogen ($10 per tire last I read), it would take quite a while to recoup the actual cost,” says Eppinger.

Rotating your tires, according to your manufacturer’s specifications, is important because not all tires get worn the same way while you are driving. Think about all the turning you do, parallel parking, u-turns, and quick stops; that all puts pressure on the front tires. So by rotating your tires they will be worn out evenly, extending their life, creating a more balanced ride and saving you money on gas.

So there you have it some quick tips to keep your car functional. And if you are stranded on the side of the road because you didn’t take my advice, don’t call me.

Safe driving!

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