Why it’s a great idea for you to change the oil every 3,000 miles:
Like most U.S. drivers – more than 80% of drivers, according to a recent study – drive under SEVERE conditions, as defined in most owners’ manuals. In other words, for most drivers “severe” is “normal.”
Sampling of Automaker oil change recommendations for NORMAL and SEVERE driving:
AUTOMAKER, Normal, Severe
FORD, 7500, 3000
CHRYSLER, 5000, 3000
TOYOTA, 5000, 3000
NISSAN, 7500, 3750
NOTE: Typical automaker recommendations (can vary by model, engine, etc.)
A Word on Oil Change Indicator Lights
While we believe most consumers can rely on these indicator lights, we decided to stick with the 3,000 miles interval – to be safe and reflect the way most people drive. Typically, such systems continuously monitor everything from vehicle speed, rpm, oil and coolant temperature – to calculate motor oil additive degradation. At Valvoline’s laboratory and engine testing facilities we’ve NEVER seen an engine failure when the oil is changed at 3,000 miles using quality Valvoline products.
Older vehicles, older recommendations
Want another reason to change the oil every 3,000 miles? The median age of passenger cars in operation in the U.S. was 9.4 years in 2008, according to R. L. Polk & Co. Just over 41 percent of all cars were 11 years or older. Automakers recommended the 3,000 mile oil change interval for most of those 100 million older cars and trucks.
“Based on the uncertainty of what the future holds, consumers are trying to keep their current vehicles running longer, until their confidence improves,” said Dave Goebel, solutions consultant for Polk’s aftermarket team.
It kind of gives you a new perspective on recent automaker recommendations that raised the oil change interval, doesn’t it?
Why change the oil?
Oil is the lifeblood of your vehicles engine. Quality motor oil keeps engines clean by:
o Minimizing deposit formation;
o Reducing oil consumption by fighting volatility and oil evaporation;
o Resisting oil thickening by providing enhanced oxidation control;
o Suspending contaminants and keeping them from interfering with vital engine parts;
o Preventing sludge from forming;
Changing the oil and filter removes the suspended contaminants and replenishes the oil’s performance agents that get consumed.
Who says so?
The Car Care Council
The most recent National Car Care Month check lanes found that 32% of vehicles failed the inspection because of low, overfull or dirty motor oil. “The Car Care Council recommends changing your vehicle’s engine oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles depending on the vehicles make and model, how you drive the vehicle and the conditions under which you drive,” the Council stated. “Always consult the owner’s manual.” Regular maintenance involves more than oil changes, too. Routine maintenance helps keep the vehicle safe and can save money. “Since four out of five vehicles checked need some type of service, it’s important to remind motorists that those who keep their cars, treat them as valuable investments and commit to regular vehicle maintenance, end up saving a lot of money,” according to the Council.
National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
ASE’s mission is to improve the quality of vehicle repair and service through the testing and certification of repair and service professionals. ASE recommends changing your oil and filter as specified in your manual – more often if your driving is mostly stop-and-go or consists of frequent short trips. The Valvoline/ASE Poll of the American Mechanic consistently finds that the nations top mechanics (ASE Certified Master Automobile Technicians) overwhelmingly recommend regular oil changes as the most important thing consumers can do to make their cars perform and last longer.
A Leading Consumer Advocacy Magazine
A 2002 report documented problems with sludge relative to specific engines made by several manufacturers. The magazine recommended changing the oil on the “extreme” (or “severe”) schedule to protect those engines from sludge.…
With the term auction cars I mean vehicles purchased at a public auction. There are lots of different kinds of auctions where cars can be purchased for example, government auctions, police auctions, private auctions, military surplus auctions, bank auctions of repossessed vehicles and more.
One of the best places you can get good deals on new and used cars, is a government auction. To be more precise, what we’re talking about is making good bargains on high quality vehicles, seized in a government raid or for one reason or another have come into the possession of the federal government.
Government Auctions of Seized Cars
Government auctions are different from bank auctions of repossessed vehicles. Government car auctions consist of vehicles they have seized and want to get rid of so that they won’t take up space in government parking facilities. If they can make some money on these vehicles, why shouldn’t they?
That’s the reason they’ll take whatever bid they can get. This is not the case with a bank. Therefore it’s likely that you would get a better deal at government auctions than at a bank auction.
Online Car Auctions
Car auctions are held all over the country where people go and place their bids. However, not everyone lives nearby an auction site. Nevertheless, anyone who has a computer and an internet connection can still bid on a government auction. You even got the option of mailing your sealed bid for a vehicle in to the auction.
Government Surplus Auctions
Another way to purchase cheap but quality auction cars would be at a government surplus auction. If you are looking for great car deals you can also participate in a government surplus auction, which is a little different from seized car auctions. The reason the government arranges these auctions is because of their need for renewal of their own vehicles. When the government’s vehicles become too old to function properly, they need to replace them while the old are sold at surplus auctions. At surplus car auctions you can also get used vehicles fairly cheap.
Military Surplus Auctions
Another variation of government surplus auctions is the military vehicle auctions. Not all military vehicles are auctioned though. They don’t offer combat vehicles, but you can buy jeeps and other low end vehicles for a few dollars.
The Right Place for Super Bargains
It should be obvious that the reason people get so many good deals at government auctions is that the government’s intention is not to act like a business and maximize their profit but rather get a few dollars for a vehicle that is no longer up to their standards and cannot be used anymore.
So, why not take advantage of this, visit an auto auction house or go online and find cheap but decent auction cars at a government auction.…
Air pollution and environment destruction is one of the major concerns that envelop not only environment agencies and groups but even the automotive world is concerned. And just recently, the Environmental Protection Agency, or commonly called the EPA, of the United States along with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection have made sure that any illegal imported engines are stopped before they cross the borders of the country.
Mainly, this move is to actually stop entrance of these illegally imported engines from entering the country. Primarily, this is because the groups believe that these engines could actually mar the campaign towards cleaner air. Since these are crafted in other countries, the US specifications on engines would surely not be followed.
At present, the groups were able to seize the importing of over 11,000 pieces of illegal engines which have been created for gasoline cars and diesel vehicles. Other than that, they are also on the move towards stopping illegally imported parts which negatively impacted those reliable car parts stores that are dedicated to providing only the best service to car owners. This number is only what they were able to confiscate during the past nine months. And with such a campaign already working well, the numbers could still continue to rise.
These substandard equipment are actually seen as risks to campaigns and projects created by the U.S. public health as well as by groups concerned about the environment. Even Granta Y. Nakayaman, the EPA?s assistance administrator under the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance, is concerned and avows, ?The Bush Administration will continue to enforce the Clean Air Act and stop illegal imports. The public?s assistance and cooperation, along with EPA?s commitment to enforcing these regulations, is essential to preserving and protecting the nation?s air quality.?
Aside from this, even the Clean Air Act or CAA which is a federal law, requires that all new gasoline engines as well as diesel engines that are created, distributed, or sold in the country should be able to meet the standards and requirements given out by EPA.…
You feel pretty good about your new tires you just picked up from a Utah auto repair shop. You paid a lot of money for them and want to keep those tires lasting for… well forever would be nice. Here are some tips to help keep your tires in good order, which will decrease your chance of getting a flat.
Before going further you need to make sure that you have the proper tools to change your tire if you do ever have a flat tire. Don’t forget to check the condition of your spare tire. If you don’t have a spare you’ll want to keep a 12 volt air pump and a can of fix-a-flat (you cannot patch a tire that has fix-a-flat in it) in your vehicle.
Periodically checking the tread depth is our first tip to avoiding a flat. To check, place a penny upside down in the tread. You’ll know it’s time to get new tires when you see the top of Lincoln’s head. Buying all 4 tires at the same time can save you some money, so don’t forget to rotate them. If you purchased your tires at a Utah auto repair shop, most will rotate the tires for free. This also helps you to avoid flats since you’re not wearing down the same spot for the life of the tire.
Tire rot is an issue that many people don’t know about. Tire rot is small cracks on the sidewall of a tire. This happens when the rubber breaks down, so if you have older tires take a look at the sidewalls.
Proper tire pressure keeps your tires lasting longer. Besides helping with gas mileage, properly inflated tires don’t cause as much stress to the sidewalls. Stress on the sidewall increases dry rot.
2007 model year vehicles and newer have a built in tire pressure monitoring system. You can also install an aftermarket tire pressure monitoring system for vehicles built before 2007.
Valve stems are next on the list. Dry rot can also appear in valve stems and cause them to fail. It takes about 10 minutes, at little cost, for your Utah auto repair shop to replace a valve stem.
Last on the list is to be careful of where you drive. Beware of pot holes, sharp rocks, bad train tracks, etc. Keep clear of construction areas where possible since you may pick up a nail or a staple. Take care of your tires and they will last longer and you’ll much more likely to avoid a flat.…
Original auto repair manuals are very important to car owners, whether they have a use for them or not. These are usually repair and service instruction booklets that in most cases a car owner will be provided for by the manufacturer on the initial purchase of the car. These manuals come in three various categories that include the general, maintenance, and repair manuals. The common type of manual that is gotten free with the purchase of a car is the general manual.
The function of a general manual is usually to provide specific information and instructions on all the major car parts of the particular model. These general car manuals give instructions on how the owner can make adjustments and easy to do repairs and the ways that they can make the.
In the case of a car repair manuals, these are specifically used when making major repairs to a car. Furthermore, it is mostly used by those who do the repairs to the cars. Although the instructions provide in these instruction booklets is not really for a precise car model, these car repair manuals maybe used by just about any car. They offer common information on a few car models on how to make repairs and the adjustment that may follow after the repairs. Where then can one buy genuine editions of these manual?
The best avenue for buying genuine repair instruction booklet is online. There is a wide collection of sites that offer factory and aftermarket repair guidebooks published by all car manufacturers. Moreover, it is these manufacturers’ manuals that they themselves use in their factories. For an easier time looking for these auto repair manuals it is good to check with sites that offer a platform for other repair service manual websites. These are platforms that offer general sites with possible original editions of the repair instructions booklets.
Forget getting your manual from a dealership only after making a purchase, and waiting for the deliver to be made. With these online sites one can be able to get a manual that have all the probable automotive diagnostics, repair information and diagrams that can point one to the right direction. Furthermore, one is guaranteed that they instruction booklets contain information from the original manufacturers.…
The immobilizer system in VW and Audi prevent the engine from running unless an authorized key is used, and the key is properly matched to various components in the vehicle. Those components are the following: engine controller (ECU, PCM or car computer), the instrument cluster and the ignition keys.
In the USA and Canada, only those cars sold after 2000 are equipped with immobilizer systems, in Europe and other parts of the world immobilizer were used even before 2000.
VW and Audi dealerships can match keys to your car, and also independent auto repair shops such as your neighborhood repair shop can also match keys to the car with specialized VW and Audi equipment. These procedure needs to be done when getting new keys, replacing the instrument cluster or replacing the car computer or ECU.
There are 5 immobilizer generations in VW and Audi:
Immo-1: only found in Europe and some Mexican VWs, and was used in cars made before 2000
Immo-2,3 and 4: found in cars worldwide, SKC needed or way to get SKC code from cluster
(SKC are available from the dealership or can be extracted it from the cluster EPROM)
Immo-5: only found in certain Audi (R8, A6 and A8) starting 2008 and 2009
After getting new keys, keys need to be matched to your car (ecu and cluster), alarm remote control also needs to be match to the car.
Immobilizer system can also be removed altogether by tuning or replacing software in the ecu or car computer.…
The amount you pay for your auto insurance depends on several factors, including your age, gender marital status, where you are and what you are driving. You can’t change your age or gender, it wouldn’t be cost-effective to move off to another state to save a few bucks. The easiest ways to start saving is to choose a more economical vehicle that costs less to insure and to be a safer driver.
First, your vehicle is a big determining factor in how much you pay.Having a hot rod or a big Hummer may be a great status symbol, but it is a hefty price to pay for such luxury. When insurance companies make premiums they base part of what you pay on the price of the vehicle, and part on how expensive it is to be repaired. Vehicles which are the targets of theft also can factor in to the cost of your premium. How much each is factored in can depend on your insurer as well, so this is not a concrete formula on your car insurance premium.
Next, there are things you just can’t control. Even though these factors are the ones you can control the least, they have the greatest control on your insurance rates. For example, single males under the age of 25 pay the highest rates. I know this personally because I am 26, and the decrease was a great relief! The rates are so high for that demographic because statistically they are in the most wrecks. Since I became married to my wife in 2010, I got to enjoy another decrease as well, as married men are cheaper to insure than single. (I wonder why, no more girls to impress…) Don’t look so smug so quickly, ladies, as some states have adopted rates not based on age or gender, and this has caused the rates for the fairer sex to increase. At least this is a legitimate complaint you can raise about men and how we are making it harder on your lives.
These are not the only factors that determine your rates. Unfortunately your driving record is a contributing factor as well, and thus drivers with spotless records pay the least, and your future destruction derby driver will cause you to pay the most. Maybe he’ll invent a great product one day or get a great career to pay you back for all those wrecked vehicles he accumulated learning to drive.
Where you live can also affect your insurance premiums. More densely-populated metropolitan areas have far more accidents than rural environments, so you pay more for being in a busier city. Makes that more rural, country area sound better and better, doesn’t it.
Remember, don’t go crazy choosing coverage. Everyone is quick to tell you how crazy and dangerous it is to be uninsured, but on the other side of the coin, it is just as crazy to have too much coverage as well. Even though the minimum requirement for state insurance is not nearly enough in most cases, there are ways to keep from getting the top-notch coverage while still keeping your possessions safe in the event of an accident.
A good rule of thumb to have is, “If you have more, get more insurance.” Just like how you struggled with choosing your car, its insurance is just has hard to decide on. Polls taken from surveys say that you could be paying up to $1000 more annually for the same coverage another company could give you. It never hurts to ask, and shopping around with some of the independent companies may save you more than the big names, and give you the same coverage.
There are ways to lower your premiums. First, drive safely, by avoiding collisions and tickets from traffic violations, most companies will offer compensation by giving certain “safe driving” discounts.
Maintaining good credit is becoming a growing trend to consider a person’s credit score when making premiums and setting payment rates. The higher your score the better.
Try dropping unnecessary extras. Things like costs for towing or replacement rental car expenses during repair work may sound like small things, but if your warranty covers these with roadside assistance, you’re paying twice for something you may only need once.
Increasing your deductible. This may sound counterproductive, but increasing your deductible lowers your rates! Of course you’re paying more for when a collision occurs, but the savings on every premium payment allows you room to put back a little bit each time in a savings account for those times you have to foot the bill when a wreck does occur.
There’s always checking your other options. The old rule is, “Look but don’t touch.” So what’s the harm in shopping around? Your situation may change so why not change policies …
The global car market can broadly be categorized into two sub markets. One is market for new cars and the other is market for used cars. The car sales in the used car market are much higher than in the market for newer cars, solely because of one reason- economical prices. The used cars are economical in price and have many other benefits, like nil taxes, lower insurance premiums & costs and lower financing costs, associated with them. Therefore, buying a used car is many times consider a better option than a new car.
However, there are many risks that are involved in buying a used car. Hence, it is very important to put your thinking caps on while buying a used car. Else, you might loose on some of our precious time and money. Following are the tips you might keep in mind while buying a used car:
Research
IF you are buying a used car, it is important to do research. Make sure that you explore various options available. Participate in online auctions, join communities and search for reliable dealers on internet to get the best deal for your car. Doing this might take sometime but it will definitely reap good results for you.
Choose a reliable dealer only
Make sure you approach only a reliable dealer for buying a used car. The dealer might charge you with some overhead cost or commission but he will definitely save you from the risk of forgery or any kind of fraud.
Check the condition of the car closely
IT is very important to check the car’s condition before you buy it. For this, you can take the car out for a test drive. Make sure that the test drive is not too small to show you anything. Take the car to the highways and drive it a good speed. Doing this will allow you to check the condition of the engine as well as the tyres.
In addition, take a close look at the car’s exteriors as well as interiors. Check whether the accessories in the car are working properly.
Negotiate with the dealer
Negotiate as much as possible with the dealer. Try and get some cash or any other kind of incentive out of him. After all, you are a client so make best use of it.
The above mentioned tips can help you to buy the right used car at a right price.…
The name Subaru is a name that would almost instantly trigger images of cars in most of our minds. The name Subaru is derived from the Pleiades star cluster M45 which is more popularly known as the “Seven Sisters” which is what Subaru represents. However, due to the fact that out of the seven, one sister according to tradition is invisible, there are only six stars in the Subaru logo emblem. This is simply because the Subaru Company which was formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries is ranked as the twenty-second biggest automaker by production in the world based on statistics from 2012. The company made its mark in the automotive industry in 1972 when it introduced the boxer engine which supported the Symmetrical All Wheel Drive drive-train layout for their vehicles that were above 1500 cc. This automobile concept was slowly adapted by their other models and by the 90s became standard for their mid-size and smaller car series. Even Toyota adapted the boxer engine concept for their rear drive models. The company grew a consumer segment in Western markets that consisted of vehicle enthusiasts, who preferred the Subaru concept, although this was just a niche segment, these enthusiasts were devoted to the brand. The company’s strategic marketing initiatives was in fact focused on those who prefer signature engines that were all-wheel drive and capable of negotiating rough-roads.
Brief History of Subaru
The roots of Subaru can be traced back to 1915 associated with Fuji Heavy Industries which initially started out as an Aircraft Research Laboratory in 1915, more than a decade later the company was restructured and re-established as the Nakajima Aircraft Company, Ltd which went on to become the primary aircraft manufacturer of the Japanese Zeros of Japan during World War II. The company underwent another revamp after the war and re-established as the Fuji Sangyo Co in 1946. The development of the Fuji Rabbit motor scooter using spare aircraft parts that was left over from the war which proved there was demand for motorised vehicles triggered Kenji Kita, the CEO of Fuji to focus on car manufacturing which the company never turned back from. Among the first models produced by Subaru included the Subaru 1500, the tiny air-cooled 360 (1958), the Sambar (1961), and the 1000 which was the first to use the Subaru boxer engine in. Despite the company’s prestigious position among the automotive stars, Subaru was also impacted by what most are referring to as ‘the decade of recalls’.
Subaru Recalls
Subaru issued a recall statement to the masses which were attributed to an issue of select models stalling. The recall was issued around October last year which required addressing the faulty engine control modules involving nearly 500,000 Impreza and Crosstrek models manufactured between 2017 and 2019. The statement also mentions that some Ascent and Forester SUVs could also be affected by the stalling problem. It is advised not to use your Subaru workshop manual as you can have the dealer fix this problem for free. Subaru’s swift action and the manner through which the automotive manufacturer managed the entire episode were admirable to say the least.
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