Showing posts with label brakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brakes. Show all posts
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
For most people, going to the dealership for service is about as pleasant as passing a kidney stone, so here are my top 10 pointers to help make your next service visit more pleasant:
- Be Detailed
If there are any issues with your car like strange sounds or vibrations, be as detailed as possible when describing the symptoms. The more info, the better, as the mechanic can better figure out how to diagnose and what to check.
- You Can Say No
When going in for an oil change, be prepared to be up-sold, unless it’s your brand-new car’s first service visit. When pitched, the key is to not feel pressured whatsoever. You can say no to all recommended services, and ask as many questions as you want/need to. If you are a new customer, it would help to bring old receipts of past work done so you could make a decision, and to also gauge whether the shop is being honest.
- Beware of "Free"
When a dealer offers free services like a multi-point inspection or a brake inspection, it’s a strategy to get you in the door so they will pick your car apart and find what repairs and maintenance are recommended to up-sell you. If you don’t really need a brake inspection, don’t bother going and don't let the word "free" cloud your judgement.
- Get Inside Help
If you have a problem with your new vehicle that needs attention, leverage your salesperson who you purchased the car from to bring you to the service department. Someone who is close with a dealer colleague most times will get squeezed in for an appointment sooner, or have a minor problem get checked out without having to pay, but just don’t ask for the world, i.e. if something is going to take a while, just make an appointment, or be patient if you just need nitrogen put in your tires. - Build a Relationship
If you find a good service advisor, maintain a relationship so you could build a more personal rapport. With a personal rapport, he/she will be more honest with you, lobby for you with some repairs or warranty work, and maybe even hook you up with a discount on a huge bill or a major service.
- Don't Settle
Do not tolerate poor service. If the dealer closest to home is convenient but their service stinks, go to another dealer that may be farther, but provides better service. Don’t reward bad service or shops who always try to up-sell you mercilessly. Asking for referrals from friends, colleagues, neighbours, relatives and internet car forums can help too.
- Ask to See
If a dealer is recommending additional services, ask to be chaperoned into the shop so they will show you the worn or loose parts. Even if you know nothing about cars, pretend you do. By asking questions and asking to see things, you will force them to be honest and back up their recommendations. Don’t buy any BS about the shop not allowing customers into the service area. If they say that to you, don’t go to them again.
If you can, I recommend you wait at the dealer while the car is being serviced. Most have wireless internet, so you might be able to bring your work there and have a free coffee. By being there, if they try to up-sell you, you can ask to see the worn parts before making a decision or getting a second opinion. If you leave the car with them, some dishonest shops may try to up-sell services knowing you’re not around to see, and hoping you’ll give them the go-ahead. - Recommended Up-Sells
Preventive maintenance-based up-sells I encourage you to go ahead with if recommended and at the proper intervals are tire rotations, alignments with new tires, engine air filters, cabin filters, fuel filters, fan belts, wiper blades, transmission fluid changes, coolant flushes, differential fluid changes, spark plugs and a brake service. All of the mentioned should be paid attention to at least once a year, with brake services recommended once a year. Most shops do not charge labour to install wiper blades. Services that are less important if the car is otherwise running fine are battery services (most batteries today are maintenance-free), fuel injector services (generally not needed as long as you don’t always drive with an near-empty fuel tank) and brake fluid flushes on 2-3 year old cars. Brake fluid flushes are only recommended if there is 2% water in the brake fluid or if the manufacturer recommends it at a specific interval and mileage. - Ask for Pictures
If you must be at work while the car is in for major service, don’t be afraid to ask the service advisor to snap and upload pictures of your car’s worn tires, brake or under-body parts before giving them the go-ahead to replace, or ask for measurements of the brake pads in millimetres if they are recommending new brakes that are going to cost a fortune. Only ask for pictures if the potential repairs are expensive. Trust them on the filters if they recommend them as they are relatively cheap but important. If they say no, then you say no to giving them business. At least one person in the dealer has a SmartPhone or a cell-phone with a camera that they can upload to their computers to e-mail you.
- Ask About Extended Warranty Privileges
If you purchased an extended warranty, the package may include several free oil changes. If you don’t recall whether the extended warranty package you bought includes them or not, ask the service advisor to check for you – they have access to that info. It may turn out that you do, and if say you had 4 oil changes as part of the package, you save about $200 in maintenance.
Hope these help. Now Drive on....
Monday, 17 October 2011
Reduce Gas Pain and Wallet Drain
Here are some basic fuel-saving tips published by Consumer Reports: http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/03/10-tips-to-improve-fuel-economy-and-save-money-on-gas.html
On top of the recommendations by Consumer Reports, here are my 5 extra, not-so-obvious tips to help you maximize your fuel savings:
- Make Use of Your Retained Power
Most newer cars today have a retained power feature which gives you up to a minute to close your windows and your sunroof if you turn off your engine but keep the keys in the ignition. Using the retained power instead of keeping the engine idling while you’re waiting for the windows and sunroof to close can lead to small but significant fuel savings over a long period of time.
- Get Everything Ready First!
Most people idle their cars as they are buckling up their children, loading cargo, plugging in their phone to the charger, checking e-mail on their SmartPhone, chatting with a neighbour while the engine is running, shovelling snow, and/or tuning the radio and adjusting their music lists before driving off. What would help save gas is to turn off the engine while loading, and have all your music and items to be charged plugged in or set up in your ignition’s Accessory setting before starting up and driving off. Heck, forget about the drive-thru. Go inside Starbucks or Tim Hortons.
I really want to emphasize that needless idling is a huge drain on fuel economy. According to Natural Resources Canada, idling longer than 10 seconds uses more fuel and produces more carbon dioxide compared to restarting the engine. They recommend that if you are going to be stopped for more than a minute, turn off the engine (unless you’re in traffic).
- Have Your Brakes Inspected or Serviced at Least Once a Year
Some people may have sticking brakes, especially in the rear, or a parking brake that doesn’t disengage all the way, both of which could cause dragging of one or more wheels, forcing the engine to work harder, and thus consuming more fuel in the process to get you up to speed. As you can imagine, this forces the engine to have to work harder, and in the process, consumes more gas and worse yet, wear out your brake parts.
Have your brakes serviced and inspected at least once a year if not twice to make sure everything is moving and well-lubricated. This is one up-sell at service shops and dealers I recommend you take them up on. The perfect time to inspect and service your brakes would be when you are changing from winter to summer wheels, and vice versa.
- Reset Your Trip Meter & Fuel Economy Calculator after Every Fill-up
Many newer cars have a digital fuel economy calculator (in L/100km), and all cars have a trip meter, both of which should be reset whenever you fill up. Seeing how many L/100km you are consuming as well as how many total kilometres you are getting out of a tank could serve as a guide for you to adjust your driving to save gas.
Furthermore, by resetting every time you fill up and being vigilant on the calculations, any unusual increases in fuel consumption could help you monitor the state of your engine’s health, or tip you off to check your tire pressure, inspect your air filter or have the brakes checked.
- Opt for the Smaller Tire &Wheel Package When Buying or Leasing a New Car
When purchasing or leasing a new vehicle, there may be a few wheel and tire choices in terms of style and sizes. Unless a bigger wheel package is forged and made of lightweight metals (mostly available on performance cars), opt for smaller wheels (i.e. the standard 18” wheels vs. the 20” chrome wheels). Heavy wheels like chrome wheels increase fuel consumption because they are not only bigger and often wider, but they act as extra un-sprung weight on the car. By having smaller, lighter wheels, this can support fuel economy over the long term, as well as reduce costs when it comes to purchasing replacement tires.
Keep these extra tips in mind, and feel free to leave a comment below to let me know if they’ve helped or not.
Drive on….
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