Spring fever is upon us and summer is rapidly approaching.  Even with the current gas prices, taking that family road trip is still a popular seasonal activity.  In addition to packing up a cooler, sunscreen, and your beach gear, taking the time to get some proper vehicle maintenance on your car, truck, or RV, will make your road trip all the more pleasurable and carefree.  Here are just 7 things you can do to get your vehicle in tip-top shape for that long-awaited for (or maybe even unexpected) road trip.

1. Tire Checks – Make sure the treads on your tires are adequate for rainy weather or you could be in for a nasty surprise when that unexpected spring or summer storm hits.  You also should check your tire pressure as it will improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency and ride.

2. Check Headlights – It’s easy to overlook a burned out headlight, or any of your other lights (brake lights, back-up lights, blinkers).  Enlist the help of another person to walk around your vehicle to physically look and see that all of your light bulbs are working and bright.

3. Replace Windshield Wipers – Make a habit of replacing windshield wipers at the beginning of each spring or summer.  You’ll be happy you did when those spring and summer rain storms come.

4. Make sure Brakes are working properly – Inspect your vehicle’s brakes twice a year to be sure you can stop on that proverbial dime.  Part of a normal brake inspection or car maintenance check should always be to make sure that brake fluids are clean and at the right levels.

5. Radiator Flush – Radiator coolant doesn’t last forever.  If the coolant becomes dirty, the radiator itself will begin to break down and corrode.  A once-a-year radiator flush is good car maintenance that will enhance your safety and all the features of your vehicle functioning properly.

6. Air Filter – Replace the air filter at least twice a year.  This is excellent preventive car maintenance to keep your vehicle running smoothly and quietly.

7. Battery Check – In the winter, corrosion can build up quickly in your car’s battery.  Each spring or summer, check the battery’s posts and cables so that your car will start quickly for you every time you use it.

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN
Published: February 4, 2007
FOR people buying a used car, there is a very important but rarely checked factor to consider that goes beyond kicking the tires: original sin.

Enlarge This Image

Cheryl Gerber for The New York Times
Jeff Meckstroth of New Orleans with the 1999 Lexus RX 300 that led to the lawsuit.
Multimedia

Graphic
How Some Automakers Are Handling Complaints
Some best-selling models appear to have an increased risk of serious mechanical problems, particularly if scheduled oil changes were not made during the vehicle’s formative years. The threat is the buildup of sludge — gooey tarlike deposits — that reduces or shuts off oil circulation and can mean thousands of dollars to repair or replace an engine that has seized.

Sludge is a thickening and breakdown of the oil as it deteriorates, as moisture and contaminants build up. This causes the oil to gel, resulting in excess wear as friction increases or, in extreme cases, a stop-right-now failure.

Worse, experts warn that there is no foolproof way subsequent owners of a trouble-prone vehicle can protect themselves. And if there is a problem caused by sludge, an automaker may reject a warranty claim because the new owner may not be able to prove that previous owners made the required oil changes.

Dean Tomazic, director for performance and emissions at FEV Engine Technology, a consulting firm in Auburn Hills, Mich., said the owner of a used car could conscientiously change the oil every 3,000 miles and still have a problem if the previous owner neglected the maintenance. The engine may be so damaged from the past abuse, he said, it could “eternally cause sludge formation.”

Thousands of owners of vehicles of popular brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Toyota, Lexus, Volkswagen, Audi and Saab have had sludge problems.

On Wednesday, a state judge in Louisiana is scheduled to give final approval to an out-of-court settlement of a class-action suit against Toyota covering 3.5 million vehicles. Under the settlement, Toyota will repair vehicles with sludge damage if owners can prove a reasonable effort at maintenance.

Chrysler has a serious sludge problem with the 2.7-liter V-6 engine used on some of its Concordes and Sebrings and also on some Dodge Intrepids and Stratus in the 1998-2002 model years, said Clarence M. Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. Mr. Ditlow said the center’s Web site (autosafety.org) had about 2,800 complaints of failures from sludge.

Sam Locricchio, a Chrysler spokesman, said the center was exaggerating the problem. He said the center received many duplicate complaints as well as cases in which it could not be shown that the vehicle had been properly maintained.

A lack of adequate oil changes is the explanation for damage given by Audi, Lexus, Saab, Toyota and VW. Yet unlike Chrysler and Dodge, those automakers have formal compensation programs for sludge damage, although in some cases consumers must provide detailed service records — and in the case of Saab, must have used oil filters sold only by the company.

Used-car owners are not alone in having sludge problems. The class-action suit brought against Toyota was started by Jeff Meckstroth of New Orleans.

Mr. Meckstroth was so impressed with the high marks earned by Lexus in quality studies by J. D. Power & Associates that he replaced a Mercedes-Benz with a new 1999 Lexus RX 300 sport wagon.

In October 2000, at about 42,000 miles, the engine failed because of a sludge problem. The RX 300 was still under warranty, and though Mr. Meckstroth had receipts showing he had made all the oil changes, Lexus refused to cover the $8,000 repair, asserting poor maintenance was to blame.

A Better Business Bureau arbitrator later ruled the car was properly maintained and that Lexus should repair it under warranty. But there were other expenses Lexus would not cover, and Mr. Meckstroth was angry about the way he was treated.

“Toyota knew they had a defect and didn’t want to admit it,” he said. “That’s when and why I sued.”

Toyota denied there was a problem with the engine. The company said the settlement was similar to a repair program it started in 2002 to fix engines damaged by sludge. But Gary G. Gambel, one of the New Orleans lawyers who brought the Toyota class-action suit, said the settlement went beyond the 2002 program by, among other things, reimbursing owners for the reduction in the vehicle’s value.

There is no national database on sludge. Still, problems seem to be increasing, said Mike Caruso, a technical specialist with the Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association, a trade group in Buffalo Grove, Ill.

Mr. Caruso said he suspected that two factors were combining to gum up the internal-combustion works. He said that people might be more lax about changing oil and that oil changes had become very important as engines have become more sophisticated.

Yet, given the millions of engines in the United States, the number of sludge-related failures is microscopic, said Robert J. Last, vice president of operations at FEV.

Consumer Reports magazine has said “the problem rate as reflected in our reliability data is very low.”

That is little consolation to owners who suddenly find themselves with a bill of $5,000 or more to replace an engine on a vehicle with only 60,000 miles, Mr. Ditlow said. He said that if poor maintenance alone were to blame, virtually every engine from every automaker would have a serious sludge problem. He finds it impossible to believe that maintenance scofflaws are all attracted to certain engines. The logical explanation is that poor maintenance affects some engines more than others, he said.

If the Toyota case had gone to trial, said Joseph M. Bruno, another lawyer representing the plaintiffs in the Toyota suit, expert witnesses would have asserted that the problem was related to design changes made by Toyota to meet emissions standards.

Toyota has denied any design problem with its engines. The proposed settlement (posted at oilgelsettlement.com) notes that it does not mean that “Toyota or Lexus vehicles are predisposed to develop oil gel.”

It is difficult to say why some engines would be more vulnerable than others, although regular oil changes would be more important with turbocharged engines, Mr. Last said. Engines with turbochargers are more highly stressed.

VW and Audi officials have noted that proper maintenance is crucial with the turbocharged 1.8-liter engine used in the 1998-2004 VW Passat and 1997-2004 Audi A4. VW also said that the 1.8-liter engine used in the New Beetle, Jetta and Audi TT was not as likely to have a problem because that engine contained more oil.

Oil capacity may also be a factor with Chrysler’s 2.7-liter V-6. The automaker decided to use a smaller oil sump so consumers could save on oil, giving the engine a five-quart capacity instead of six, a Chrysler engineer, Burke Brown, said in a 2005 interview with The Plain Dealer newspaper of Cleveland.

“In retrospect, that took away the margin,” Mr. Brown told the paper. “If you don’t change the oil on schedule, they don’t tolerate a lot of abuse in that regard,” he said, referring to the 2.7-liter V-6 engine.

What all this means to consumers looking for a used car is that they need to get the vehicle’s record of oil changes and other maintenance. Then, they need to make sure those records match up with the automaker’s requirements as listed in the owner’s manual.

But the automakers’ extended sludge warranties are still good for only eight years after the vehicle was first sold. So some experts said the smartest thing for consumers was just to stay away from engines with sludge reputations.

“It is almost like clogged arteries,” said Mr. Caruso of the engine rebuilders association. “You look good on the outside, but you don’t know what is on the inside.”

I have pictures from car in our own shop contact me and I  will forward a copy

Most of us share the Top Ten New Years Resolutions

The same Top Ten New Year resolutions crop up every year. Why? It’s obvious. Because they’re just so hard to keep!

I have trouble keeping my resolutions, but this time I’m determined to finally do better.

Success is not an accident, it begins with a well-conceived plan. You can and will achieve more in the next year than you have in the past ten with a disciplined plan of action. By investing your efforts into a New Years Resolution, you give yourself a launch pad for starting your new year and your new life.

My list includes many of the items listed below, but this Lens is not about my New Years Resolutions, but the Top Ten Resolutions.
The Top Ten Resolutions List
1. Stop Smoking
2. Get into a Habit of being Fit
3. Lose Weight – the Battle of the Bulge
4. Enjoy Life More.
5. Quit Drinking
6. Organise Yourself – this is one of the keys to reaching your goals
7. Learn Something New
8. Get out of Debt
9. Spend More Time With Family
10. Help People.
Make those Resolutions stick! Set your Goals

Have A safe and Prosperous 2012

Auto maintenance describes the act of inspecting or testing the condition of car subsystems (e.g., engine) and servicing or replacing parts and fluids. Regular maintenance is critical to ensure the safety, reliability, drivability, comfort and longevity of a car. During preventive maintenance, a number of parts are replaced to avoid major damage or for safety reasons, e.g. timing belt replacement.
The actual schedule of car maintenance varies depending on the year, make, and model of a car, its driving conditions and driver behavior. Car makers recommend the so-called extreme or the ideal service schedule based on impact parameters such as
number of trips and distance traveled per trip per day
extreme hot or cold climate conditions
mountainous, dusty or de-iced roads
heavy stop-and-go vs. long-distance cruising
towing a trailer or other heavy load
Experienced service advisors in dealerships and independent shops recommend schedule intervals, which are often in between the ideal or extreme service schedule. They base it on the driving conditions and behavior of the car owner or driver.
Common car maintenance tasks include:
Car wash
check/replace the engine oil and replace oil filters
check/replace fuel filters
inspect or replace windshield wipers
check or refill windshield washer fluid
inspect tires for pressure and wear
Tire balancing
Tire rotation
Wheel alignment
check, clean or replace battery terminals and top up battery fluid
inspect or replace brake pads
check or flush brake fluid
check or flush transmission fluid
check or flush power steering fluid
check and flush engine coolant
inspect or replace spark plugs
inspect or replace air filter
inspect or replace timing belt and other belts
lubricate locks, latches, hinges
check all lights
tighten chassis nuts and bolts
check if rubber boots are cracked and need replacement
test electronics, e.g., Anti-lock braking system or ABS
read fault codes from the Engine control unit
Some tasks that have equivalent service intervals are combined into one single service known as a tune-up. In modern cars, where electronics control most of the car’s functions, the traditional tune-up doesn’t apply anymore. Maintenance jobs like a tune-up used to mean getting the engine’s performance back on track. Today embedded software takes care of it by constantly checking thousands of sensor signals, compensating for worn-out spark plugs, clogged filters, etc. The so-called limp-home function allows driving on limited power when the engine is in trouble. In the old days this might have meant a breakdown.
In some countries, the completed services are recorded in a service book which is rubber-stamped by the service center upon completion of each service. A complete service history usually adds to the resale value of a vehicle.
[edit]See also

Auto mechanic
Automobile repair shop
Italian tuneup
Mechanical engineering

But Do I Really Need Winter Tires?

The primary concern that our customers express is that they don’t want to get “stuck” in the snow (or in the ditch) during the winter.

While in cities like Atlantic City, Memphis and Seattle located at the extreme edges of the snow belt, relatively new All-Season tires will probably work just fine. But the odds change as you move further into the snow belt or the All-Season tires have a few years of wear on them. And who wants to gamble…especially when their collision deductible and future insurance premiums are on the table.

We all know that tires are a compromise. One tire can’t be the fastest on the track, most controllable in the snow, and longest wearing. The Ultra High Performance tire that grips the track with tread temperatures of 200° is incompetent as its tread compound becomes like “hard plastic” at below 32°. Today’s 80,000-mile tires require tread designs and compounds that maximize long, even wear… not winter traction. And while many of today’s all-season tires (Original Equipment, touring and performance) address some of these issues, they still emphasize longer wear, a quieter ride or greater performance…not winter traction.

Only winter tires are designed to excel in the colder temperatures, slush, snow and ice that many parts of the country experience for three or more months a year.

It’s also important to note that the recent advancements in electronic driver aids, such as ABS and traction control don’t provide more traction. They only help prevent drivers from over braking or overpowering the available traction of their tires. The only thing the driver can do to increase traction…to actually get more grip and control… is install better tires.

Read Why Electronic Driver’s Aids and Four-Wheel Drive Systems Aren’t Enough

Won’t All-Season Tires Work Just Fine?

By design, All-Season tires are a compromise intended to provide acceptable traits under a wide variety of conditions. However, that compromised goal prevents them from being a master of any one of them. The All-Season tire tread designs and compounds that are engineered to provide extended mileages and durability under the summer’s sun are less effective in winter’s freezing temperatures, and through snow and on ice. Specific winter tires deliver much better snow and ice performance than All-Season tires because their tread designs and tread compounds are engineered to master those conditions, while summer tires are engineered to deliver better handling in the rain and on dry roads. Why not have the best tires for each of the conditions you’ll encounter?

Why Four Winter Tires? I Thought I Would Only Need Two.

Today’s winter tires are better at providing ice and snow traction than ever before. The technology used to develop the tread designs and tread compounds has evolved beyond what you may have used previously. Every one of our tire manufacturers and 7 out of 10 vehicle manufacturers recommend four winter tires be used on rear wheel, front wheel or four wheel drive vehicles. This is because if you use two dissimilar types of tires on your vehicle, you’ll have a vehicle that has a “split” personality. One end of the vehicle won’t react and perform the same as the other in the dry, wet, slush and snow conditions you’ll encounter before the end of winter. Especially in emergency situations, you’ll find that your vehicle will probably understeer in one condition and oversteer in another. It is preferable to keep your vehicles handling as consistently as possible by “matching” all four tires. Our customers who have matched their tires tell us they’re glad they made the extra investment in four winter tires (and wheels) so they can accelerate, brake, handle and better control their vehicle through winter’s challenges.

What If My Car Has Traction Control?

While traction control will help keep you from overpowering your tires, it doesn’t actually improve your tire’s traction; it simply limits your car’s acceleration to the traction level of your tires. The only way to maximize your vehicle’s winter performance is to provide your traction control with more grip to work with by using tires specifically designed for your driving conditions.

What If My Car Has ABS Brakes?

While ABS brakes will help keep you from locking up your tires, it doesn’t actually improve your tire’s traction; it simply limits your cars braking to the traction level of your tires. The only way to maximize your vehicle’s winter performance is to provide your ABS brakes with more grip to work with by using tires specifically designed for your driving conditions.

What If My Car Has Front-Wheel Drive?

Front wheel drive is certainly an advantage…but its advantage can be multiplied by using winter tires designed for the road conditions you’ll encounter. Part of a front wheel drive car’s acceleration advantage is because it has 60% of its weight over the drive wheels. And while this helps you get started, it does nothing to help you stop. And a front wheel drive car’s weight distribution is not the best for handling and cornering. Many of the reasons that encouraged you to select a front wheel drive car are the same reasons that dedicated winter tires will make your winter driving more enjoyable and enhance your car’s braking, handling and cornering traits.

What If My Car Has All-Wheel Drive?

All-wheel drive is certainly an advantage…but its advantage can be multiplied by using winter tires designed for the road conditions you’ll encounter. While more tires share the torque of your vehicle, think of the ice and snow performance that winter tires provide. All of the reasons that encouraged you to select an all-wheel drive car are the same reasons that dedicated winter tires will make your winter driving more enjoyable and enhance your car’s braking, handling and cornering traits.

Isn’t It Better To Stay Off the Roads If It’s Really Bad?

While it’s great to have the luxury of staying off the roads when it’s snowing, it’s even better to have the freedom of movement that winter tires provide. Because it is difficult to accurately predict winter storms just ask any weatherman if he’s willing to place a bet. How do you know where you will be when one hits…maybe at home…or at work…or out of town visiting relatives for the holidays. And who ever had an emergency that they could schedule around the weather?

Won’t It Help If I Just Drive Slowly and Carefully?

That very question verifies that you recognize the risk you feel when you don’t use winter tires. Why not take some of the tension out of your winter driving and provide yourself with a greater margin of control to avoid the unexpected…or dodge an accident. And if you aren’t able to keep up with the flow of traffic as you accelerate from a traffic light or up a hill, you pose a risk to yourself and all of the other vehicles around you.

Aren’t Winter Tires Expensive?

Winter tires and wheels may be one of the most economical purchases you can make.

We have excellent prices on tires, alloy wheels, steel wheels and complete Winter Tire & Wheel Packages. Using winter tires will extend the life of your summer tires. The summer tires won’t “wear out” sitting in the garage or basement while the winter tires and wheels are on the vehicle. Using winter wheels will protect Original Equipment or aftermarket alloy wheels from the harsh realities of winter…the salt, slush and grime that attack the alloy.

Snow tires

Winter Tire

Studded winter tire

Snow tires (winter tires) are tires designed for use in winter conditions, such as snow and ice.^[1] They are an alternative to the use of snow chains.

Snow tires are usually tires with a different rubber composition from all-weather tires. Cold-weather tires include a greater percentage of natural rubber and silica so there is not as much hardening as found in synthetic rubber in cold conditions:^[2] they provide better traction at lower temperatures. Snow tires provide more small-tread areas, increasing traction on snow and, in wet conditions, allowing water to escape from under the tire more easily. This reduces the risk of hydroplaning. In much of Scandinavia, snow tires have metal studs to improve grip on packed snow or ice, but such tires are prohibited in most other countries for the damage they cause to the road surface.^[3] Snow tires do not eliminate skidding on ice and snow, but they greatly reduce the risk.

According to a recent test completed by online tire retailer The Tire Rack, the famous “penny test” method;of checking minimum tire tread depth just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Famously, the penny test (pictured) involves inserting a penny into the tread of a tire with President Lincoln’s head upside down. If any part of Lincoln’s head is covered by the tread, there’s at least 2/32 inch of tread depth left — the minimum legal amount required. The Tire Rack now recommends using a quarter instead. Inserted the same way, if any part of President Washington’s head is covered by tread, there’s at least 4/32 inch of tread depth left.

To test the effects of tread depth on wet stopping distances, The Tire Rack used a;2006 BMW 325i and a;2006 Ford F-150 Supercab 4×2;for a comparison at a wet-testing facility. Three sets of OEM tires were used for each vehicle: a brand-new set, a set shaved to 4/32 inch, and a set shaved to 2/32 inch. The;test area was then dampened to simulate moderate rain conditions. After multiple stops from 70 mph were conducted with both vehicles on all three sets of tires, average stopping distances were calculated and conclusions were drawn.

The;testing indicated that for both vehicles, braking distances from 70 mph to a standstill were nearly doubled with the 2/32-inch tire set over the brand-new set;– from 195.2 feet to 378.8 feet in the BMW sedan and from 255.9 feet to 499.5 feet in the Ford truck. With the 4/32-inch set, distances were nearly split between the previous two sets, resulting in a 290.0-foot stop in the BMW and a 377.8-foot stop in the Ford.

The Tire Rack concluded that with 2/32 inch of tread depth left, there’s simply not enough area for water to be evacuated by a tire, resulting in increased stopping length due to hydroplaning. Of course, any test conducted by a tire retailer recommending the accelerated replacement of a tire must be taken with a grain of salt; nevertheless, we can’t say we’re surprised by the results. In wet conditions, it’s fairly clear that the more tread depth available, the;easier it is for;the tire to do its job.

Would we recommend ditching the penny for the quarter? If you live in a area with frequent or heavy rainfall, we just might. Here in sunny Southern California, we’d suggest you have an adequate set on hand for the few wet days we have over the winter and spring.

Tire blowouts can be caused by a variety of reasons. A defective rim may cut into the side of the tire or allow the bead to break and the tire to slip from the rim. This kind of damage would usually be obvious so there are few defective rims out there with an owner crazy enough to drive on it. Another cause is too low of air pressure. This causes the tires to flex more than they are designed to during driving. The belts separate and the integrity is comprmized. Air pressure too high can cause a blowout by stressing the tire beyond it’s designed limits. One large bump or a hot day can cause that pressure to exceed the bursting limit. Sometimes tires will be manufactured with defects such as air bubbles or poorly mixed rubber. The great Michelin recall comes to mind. Other causes can be vandalism. If vandals slash the sidewall rubber only half way through, this creates a dangerous situation where the cut rubber will tear if you hit a bump, round a turn too fast, or heat up the tire by driving for a long time. Cut rubber can be detected upon close examination. Running over a small sharp object will cause a puncture which leaks air slowly. Running over a large sharp object can tear a large hole, deflating the tire instantly resulting in a blow out.

The coolant in your vehicle is a mixture of water and a chemical. It’s purpose is to protect your engine, both in cold weather and in high-temperature conditions.

Because your engine is “water-cooled,” in other words it is cooled using water, this means there is water inside your engine and cooling system components, like the radiator. If it were not mixed with something to prevent it from freezing at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, this water could freeze and severely damage your engine. A chemical called ethylene glycol is the most widely used chemical in anti-freeze today.

Warning: Do not allow anti-freeze to contact your skin, or any painted surfaces on your vehicle. Rinse off spills immediately with plenty of water. Anti-freeze is highly poisonous if taken internally. Anti-freeze has a sweet odor, which attracts children and animals. Therefore, do not store anti-freeze in an open container or leave puddles on the floor of your work area. Most communities have anti-freeze collection centers where anti-freeze can be disposed of properly. Do not dump used anti-freeze down the drain or on the ground.

Anti-freeze not only protects your engine components from freezing (down to at least -20 F), it also helps inhibit corrosion and increases the coolant boiling point so that in even extremely hot conditions, your engine does not overheat.

Some engines today have aluminum cylinder heads. These engines require a specific type of anti-freeze. For various other reasons manufacturers will recommend a specific type of anti-freeze. Experts urge car, truck, van and SUV owners to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations with regard to the type of anti-freeze you use and to not mix different types.

You can purchase a hydrometer from an auto parts store to test whether or not the anti-freeze in your vehicle is still useable. For a few dollars, this simply-operated instrument is worth the investment.

Many vehicle manufacturers recommend changing the anti-freeze every other year. Using anti-freeze longer than this can result in corrosion, and the formation of scale and rust in the cooling system. Drain, flush, and re-fill your cooling system every other year, following the instructions in your vehicle-specific repair manual or an online manual, before adding new anti-freeze.

The coolant in vehicles is actually a mixture of 50% water and 50% anti-freeze. Follow recommendations in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Do not use a mixture of more than 70% anti-freeze.

Q: Is there any advantage to using nitrogen instead of compressed air in tires? Will I notice improved fuel economy or a smoother ride? Will my tires last longer?

A: Sort of. From the top: Air is 78 percent nitrogen, just under 21 percent oxygen, and the rest is water vapor, CO2 and small concentrations of noble gases such as neon and argon. We can ignore the other gases.

There are several compelling reasons to use pure nitrogen in tires.

First is that nitrogen is less likely to migrate through tire rubber than is oxygen, which means that your tire pressures will remain more stable over the long term. Racers figured out pretty quickly that tires filled with nitrogen rather than air also exhibit less pressure change with temperature swings. That means more consistent inflation pressures during a race as the tires heat up. And when you’re tweaking a race car’s handling with half-psi changes, that’s important.

Passenger cars can also benefit from the more stable pressures. But there’s more: Humidity (water) is a Bad Thing to have inside a tire. Water, present as a vapor or even as a liquid in a tire, causes more of a pressure change with temperature swings than dry air does. It also promotes corrosion of the steel or aluminum rim.

If I ever need to top off a tire when I’m out on the road, I’ll always briefly depress the tire chuck’s valve with my thumbnail and vent some air. If my thumb gets wet, there’s water in the line. Some gas stations don’t do a very good job of keeping the humidity out of their air system. I don’t even like to use a water-based tire-mounting lubricant unless I can let the tire bake in the sun for a couple of hours before I air it up and seat the bead. I’ve dismounted tires (not mine) that had several quarts of water inside—probably from a compressed-air hose that collected water and was never purged properly.

How is water relevant to a nitrogen discussion? Any system that delivers pure nitrogen is also going to deliver dry nitrogen. Filling tires with nitrogen involves filling and purging several times in succession, serially diluting the concentration of oxygen in the tire. This will also remove any water.

It’s certainly simple, although time-consuming, for a tire technician to fill and bleed tires. But most shops use a machine that not only generates almost pure nitrogen by straining the oxygen out of shop-compressed air, but will also automatically go through several purge cycles unattended. Some shops have been charging as much as $30 per tire for this service. I think that’s too much. If you’re buying a new tire, it should be far less. Still, the nitrogen generator, filling system and technician’s time aren’t free—the dealer is entitled to some return for that.

So, to answer your specific questions: With nitrogen, your tire pressures will remain more constant, saving you a small amount in fuel and tire-maintenance costs. There will be less moisture inside your tires, meaning less corrosion on your wheels. You will not be able to feel any difference in the ride or handling or braking, unless your tire pressures were seriously out of spec and changing to nitrogen brought them back to the proper numbers.

In Anticipation of Hurricane Irene I have accumulated some information that may be helpful or that you may have overlooked.

Everyone tells you to have bottled water,It isrecommended to have 1 gallon per person per day;batteries and working flashlights,candles and matches. Make sure your gas tank and washer fluids are filled.

A few more things that most people forget: 1) have your cell phone,laptop,IPad,Kindle,Nooks and game boy’s fully charged. 2) A manually operated can opener and ice cubes in quantity to help keep freezer cold in case power goes out. 3) You should also have at least a three day supply of any medications you take, as well as your favorite canned and dry goods and don’t forget the first aid kit. 4)) don’t overlook your pets needs ie: food,treats and water.

Always keep in mind heavy rain and winds can cause power outages,downed wires and tree damage.

Stay indoors and be safe.

What’s not often passed onto the customer are the costs of running a shop.which in this modern age. can be pricey. Regardless of size, a shop has expenses that have to be paid by the work generated. there are the obvious ones,  like the rent, electricity, heat and other utilities.

But there are also substantial cost of equipment and technology. In order to work on today’s cars a shop must have state of the art scanners, diagnostic software, and lab scopes to analyze vehicular data streams in a effort to extract critical information for accurate vehicle repair. without such info , Techs cannot deliver accurate repairs. Other equipment such as vehicle lifts, floor jacks, lubrication equipment and the likes are necessary to operate a shop efficiently and effectively.

Good trained service personnel cost money, period. Usually techs are classified as “A”, “B”, “C”, techs, and the more high-grade techs in a shop, the more it cost to pay them. In order to attract a high-grade technician these days . shops must pay good hourly  rate or weekly salary. In addition Health Insurance and other benefits such as a company car often go into the package to attract the class “A” technician.

These Technicians have to go to school on a regular basis to keep up with automotive technology. Without this training, techs cannot repair vehicles in “book Time” allotted for a particular service operation ( not to mention the occasional headache job that comes along that every tech in town has had his/hers hands on without success.) A repair shop usually pays for this training.

As you can see, there’s a lot more that goes into auto repair pricing than parts and labor

Yes auto repair shops mark up the price of Parts. These guys to make a profit to stay in Business,so typically they will track on about a 30%. Keep in mind that this markup also means that reputable shops can provide WARRANTY for their repairs.

The type of parts used for auto repair directly affects the bottom-line price, Original Equipment (OEM) parts tend to be the highest priced, followed bu aftermarket parts. there are typically two th three tiers of aftermarket parts. Different tiers are defined by Quality, I use the top of the line (OEM) & aftermarket parts to raise the change of a longer lasting, effective auto repair.

Finally, used parts also vary in price depending on the mileage and/or demand of the part. A used part can render an effective repair, depending on its condition