To Hybrid or Not

If you're like me and you find yourself recycling, composting, buying green products and figuring out ways to use our energy more wisely, then you've probably thought about a hybrid vehicle. While more and more manufacturers are making hybrid vehicles....unfortunately it's going to be a while before they replace our gas driven motors. I guess the question is, are the hybrids that are available now really saving us money and the environment....or not.

Brandy Schaffels, a contributing writer for Ask Patty wrote this article to answer some of your questions.

What you always wanted to know about hybrid vehicles

This article on How Stuff Works talks about 5 reasons not to buy hybrid.

I like to weigh my options. While I'd like to 'Go Green', it comes with a cost. Sometimes it's more than what you can afford. I would say that if you are contemplating buying a hybrid vehicle...do your research. Make sure you weigh cost, economy, practicability and even how driving where you live will play into it. It's a tough decision...trying to decide what is the right thing for you and the environment. That's when I get on my motorcycle and ride.  Good luck!

Radical Wrencher

Is That Smoke coming Out of My Tailpipe?

In the perfect world, water vapor would be the only thing we see coming out of our tailpipes....but, we're not quite there yet. So what does that smoke mean?

Obviously when it's cold out and you start the vehicle you'll see smoke. This should go away after the vehicle warms up.If you're finding that this smoke continues, then it's time to get it checked out. There are some general reasons why you may have smoke, and the color can help you diagnose your problem.

Here's a pretty good description of some common issues from RepairPal. I also talk about it a little in my video of what to look for when buying a used vehicle.

As always, I recommend that you have a technician properly diagnose your problem. These tips of what to look for will give you an idea of what could be wrong and help steer you in the right direction....and you'll feel like you know a little bit more of what could be wrong. Empower yourself with knowledge and you'll feel more confident when it comes to talking to your service personnel.

Lori

Taking Care of Your Battery

Remember the days when you had to add water to your battery? And not just any water, but distilled. Now our batteries are "maintenance free".....well, for the most part. They still require a little tender love and care if you want to get the maximum life out of them however.

When was the last time you opened up your hood and took a look at your battery? Okay, it may not always be under your hood, check your owner's manual to see if it might be in the trunk or under a seat. Most likely if it's under the hood it's going to get dirtier and should be checked.

What are you looking for? White powder that's caked up around the terminals. It's fairly easy to clean this off by using a simple household product of baking soda and water. All you need is an old toothbrush and a 50/50 mix of the water and baking soda.

Better yet, watch my quick tip video on how to do this yourself. It's easy and a great way to save you money.
Remember, to disconnect the battery you want the key to be off, remove the negative side first and then the positive. When you re-attach the cables you do the opposite, positive first and then the negative.

Battery Cleaning Video

As I always say, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty...it's a great way to learn.

Radical Wrencher

How Old is Your Truck?

I often get asked how old my truck is. Even though it looks nice on the outside, one look inside the cab with it's crank down windows, sliding levers for the heat and vents and few gizmos on the dash makes people wonder. For the record, I drive a 1988 Toyota 4WD truck. It doesn't even have a name really...but it later became the Tacoma.

It now boasts 295,000 miles. Unfortunately a burned valve forced me to replace the engine at 292,000, but I'm not complaining. I remember when I was going back and forth about getting a newer vehicle or replacing the engine. Well, for $3000 a 3yr/100,000 mile warranty, the new engine won hands down. I have loved this truck since I bought it new in '88'. I installed my own A/C, which still works, have had multiple radios..currently Sirius, and even replaced the bench seat for buckets.

Once people find out how old it is they always say "Well, you're a technician so you take care of it". I never really understood this. While it's true, I've done all my own work....it's all about maintaining your vehicle. I haven't done anything special, I just take care of it and fix the things that need to be done. I think the most important thing I did was change the oil every 3000 miles without fail.

I grew up watching my father wash and wax his vehicles so they always looked like new. I understood that if you took care of them, they could last for a long time. That's all I've done. I guess what I'm trying to say is that anyone can keep a vehicle for a long time if they just properly maintain it.

What do I mean by this? Change your oil regularly at the scheduled times. Check your owner's manual if you're not sure when that is. Don't let those little noises become loud expensive fixes. If you decide to keep your vehicle for many years you need to understand that it will cost you money. I suggest that you take that car payment you no longer have and put it in a repair account. This way the money is already there when you need it.

You need to understand that vehicles break down when they get older. If you don't have the tolerance for this, then you should probably try to own a newer vehicle with less repair possibilities. It's true, it's easier for me because most of the time I can fix it myself, but most recently I've moved and currently I don't have access to a shop...so I have to pay like everyone else now.

Sure, there are times that I get frustrated with the nit picky things that go wrong, but my truck owes me nothing. I couldn't replace it for what it gives me, especially for what I'm paying. So think about what kind of person you are. Do you mind doing repairs more frequently to maintain an older vehicle, or is it easier to own something that always has a warranty?

I can't imagine not having my truck. I tell my friends that when it's time, I'll have it crushed. I really can't imagine anyone else driving her after 22 years. Oh and don't worry, that's not going to happen any time soon...she still gets me where I need to go and is worth every penny I paid for her!

Radical Wrencher

Check Your Wiper Blades Before it Rains!

We always forget about the wiper blades until it's pouring and we can't see. You should check them every six months and replace them once a year. Here's a video I did on how to change them yourself.

How to Change Your Wiper Blades

What is Proper Tire Pressure for My Vehicle?

One of the most common mistakes in checking tire pressure is thinking that the correct pressure for your vehicle is posted on the tire. I get this answer a lot when I teach my classes. Many people assume that this is where it would be printed.

What you have to remember is that tires are made by the manufacturer for many different types of vehicles. Car manufacturers pay engineers a lot of money to figure out how the weight of a vehicle affects fuel economy and many other factors. Tire pressure plays into this factor. So, depending on the weight, size and other important information, tire pressure is determined by each different vehicle.

Therefore you will always find the tire pressure for your vehicle located on your vehicle or in your owner's manual. Usually there will be a label located on the inside of the driver's door giving you this information. I've also seen them inside the glove box, on the inside of the gas door or center console. Look around, it's there somewhere.

Proper tire inflation not only affects fuel economy, but also helps prevent uneven or early tire wear. There's also a safety concern if the tire pressure is too low. If you look at a tire you'll see that there are a lot of numbers and letters posted on the side wall. All of these numbers mean something. While you don't need to memorize them, it's a good idea to know what they mean. Here are a couple sites that will help explain more about all of those numbers. How Stuff Works is a great website with a lot of vehicle information. I caution you not to read this at work, it's hard to get off this site, it's so interesting.

Another great site is Tire Rack, not only can you get some great information about tires, but you can purchase them at pretty good prices. They even work with installers in your area so that if you need new tires they send them directly to the shop.

One of the things I teach in my class is how to use a tire pressure gauge. I think it's important for everyone to keep one of these in their vehicle. If you're not sure how to use it, ask someone to show you. It's not hard and will help you keep your tires in good shape for a long and healthy life.

As we say in the motorcycle world, keep the rubber side down and be pro-active in learning about the things you can do on your vehicle and do them yourself. It's a great way to understand your vehicle.

Radical Wrencher

How Much Did You Say?

The other day while I was driving I heard an ad on the radio for a brake job. It was a male salesman telling a woman that she could get a brake job done and only pay half for the brake pads. I actually started to laugh.

The woman in the ad was excited and couldn't wait to bring her vehicle in. The problem with this ad, in my opinion, is that the brake pads are not the expensive part...it's the labor. This is the kind of thing that you have to be careful with when getting your vehicle serviced.

The ad makes it sound like such a good deal, but you should ask how much it will cost and how much of a discount that is off of the regular price. Later that night I was having dinner with a group of women friends. We meet monthly and the conversation is all over the map. Many of us have known each other for 10 years or more. I told them about the ad and asked what they thought. They said that one of their complaints is not knowing what it "should" cost to have work done.

Great point. So what do you do when you need work done and the shop quotes you a price? Here are a couple of sites you can check out. One that I like is called repair pal. You put in your vehicle, your zip code and pick the type of work you need to have done and they give you an estimate for parts and labor for your area. It's a great resource to at least get an idea of the amount you might be expected to pay. Now remember, shops can charge whatever they want. If you don't like their price, shop around.

If you just want to see what parts cost I would recommend looking at Rockauto. I buy a lot of parts from them. You put in your vehicle and then look up the parts. This will give you an idea of whether the shop is making too much money on the parts they're selling you.

I don't know about you, but for me money is tight. I want the work done on my vehicle to be the best deal I can get without compromising quality and workmanship. So the next time someone tries to sell you a good deal, check it out, it may not be such a bargain.

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