Car Maintenance

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Car Maintenance

Hi all

Here are some basic tips about car maintenance. With good care such as ‘regular’ services, you can minimise ‘wear and tear’.

1)Check your engine oil every 1,000 miles (1,600km), make sure that the oil level is up to the 2nd hole in the dipstick that is used to check the oil level. Excess oil can cause white smoke from your Exhaust pipe and will fail the ‘emissions’ test. On the other hand, less oil will put more stress on your engine and will consume more fuel, and at times can over heat radiator!

2)As we all know tyres wear out quickly, as bad tyres would skin in wet conditions and your breaking / stopping time would take longer, and again it would consume more fuel!
A legal tyre should have 20mm of depth in cuts you have in the tyre, and it should have ‘hair’ like rubbers sticking out. Michelin / Bridgestone and Pirelli are good tyre manufacturers

3)Brake pad/shoes – These must be checked at regular intervals, these pads are like hard rubbers which rub against the ‘break discs’ every time you apply the brake. Failure to change ‘worn’ pads could damage the ‘brake disks’ which would expensive to replace, if you ever replace a break pad, make sure you do it in pairs like if you change on the left front wheel, make sure you do the front right one.

4)Cam belt/ time belt – This needs to be changed for every 65,000 to 70,000 miles, if you don’t it would damage you’re Engine, and you would need a new engine. This belt is belt that rotate on two ‘pulleys’ one attached to the Engine and the other on the alternator

More to follow later …

[app_engine]

Good topic

A month back my Civic's radiator fan was in fumes Motor burnt and the heat melted off the blades away from pinion, fortunately no "fire" but only fumes.

Unplugged the cable harness and drove home carefully monitoring the temp.

Took it to Honda who wanted >$500 to replace the fan motor, also asked me to leave the car for a couple of days till they get the part - I refused and took it to the local murray store and got the motor, hoping to get it replaced by a mechanic shop. The "less-expensive" mechanic pointed out that I needed the whole fan to be replaced and not just the motor - no store had it in stock and the murray store took back the motor.

For the first time, I ordered an auto part on the web www.autohausaz.com , that corresponds to the Honda part# - a decent Taiwanese replacement fan, on a saturday and they shipped it the next working day (Monday). The part was in the doorstep on Tuesday. I got it replaced by a local mechanic and drove to work on Wednesday

Cost? The part $110 and the mechanic $40! Shipment was free as the order value was > $100.

When I went to give autohausaz a nice review on a third party website, I noticed that many BMW / Benz owners do this thing (of buying from web and replacing themselves / through cheaper mechanic shops) all the time

Moral - when your vehicle is out of all kinds of warranty, try to avoid dealer service!

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Yes, I never take it to Honda as well, they rates would just give you a 'heart attack'.

Most of the services such as

1) Oil change
2) Air filter change
3) Oil filter change
4) Cluth oil change
5) spark plugs change

I do it my self, things like break pads, cam belt change I take it to a 'mechanic' , SL tamil guy.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

One thing, I 'seriously' advice people is 'never' touch the electrical work in your car by your self, it is far more complicated than you thing!

I am talking about Alarm Immobilisers, stereos etc, the wirings are highly complicated

[Lambretta]

Anyone want maintenance on vintage/classic cars?? :P

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Anyone want maintenance on vintage/classic cars?? :P

Sorry sir, I am not 'Old' enough to drive classic cars

[Lambretta]

Anyone want maintenance on vintage/classic cars?? :P

Sorry sir, I am not 'Old' enough to drive classic cars

Doesnt matter...that question wasnt for u, sir!

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Advice:

If possible, pls avoid small cars on Motorways (highways); I have had nasty experience with Nissan Micra (1.3 litre engine), Ford Fiesta and Toyota Corolla!

When you hit 60mph/96kmp, the car started to move sideways and steering started to vibrate. All these cars new cars. But they just can not handle high speed!

A minimum of 2.0ltr Engine car is a must on highways, some recommended 'Family cars'

1) BMW 320 series
2) Mercedes 200 + series
3) Honda Accord
4) Alfa Romeo
5) VW passat
6) Volvo

You will much safer and secure in such cars!

[app_engine]

PARAMASHIVAN,
Reg. expressway (freeway / motorway / turnpike / whatever name) driving of sub-2.0 litre cars, I'm sure your driving experience is pretty unique

At least in the U.S., one can see 1000's of civics, cavaliers, focusses & corollas on expressways, happily cruising at >70mph (the max speed in Michigan is 70mph but typically people drive around 75mph in freeways).

So, no issues with this "high speed" business at the max rated speeds for most freeways. Your talking about "vibrate" "sideways" etc is quite funny (in other words, unheard of IMSO).

I have driven >100,000 miles on compact cars in freeways here, for your kind info. And slightly over 70 mph most of the time - with or without co-passengers

[PARAMASHIVAN]

app na

I am a bit busy will get back to you soon