Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

 

Buying/Selling/Leases

Selling

I drive an older car. A 1995 Ford Crown Victoria. I have serviced this vehicle by the book since new. The car is in pristine condition. My fear is that if I’m involved in a collision or if the vehicle is stolen I won’t receive what I deem the value of my car. I understand I would only receive “book” value. What are my options?

I’m not an insurance agent, however; you can negotiate with your broker as to the value of your car. This is called an agreed value. I would involve having the condition of the car documented. Possibly having an appraisal done. In this way, should an incident arise the value of the loss would not be a point of contention.

 

Leases

I currently lease a Honda civic SI coupe.  My job has currently changed and I no longer need a car and want to get out of my lease. What are my options?

This is a bigger problem than you think. Lease companies do not like to close off leases early. Leases are a closed contract.  You may be responsible for the entire value of the contract if the lease company does not play ball. You can offer to pay penalties that the lease company may levy or market your car through a lease marketing company. These can be found on the web. In today’s economic climate many manufactures have backed away from leasing due to the low residual values available upon the vehicles return.

 

Used Car Buying

I am not a high mileage driver and I’m looking to by a small used car from 2001 to 2004, like a Hyundai or any 4 cylinder car. I am looking for a standard transmission. What is the best value for my money? 
Stan

I hate to burst your bubble but there are no good deals in the sector you are describing. With higher fuel costs everybody is looking at this sector so be prepared to pay. However; if you are not a high mileage driver there is a lot of product available in the midsize market...I would be looking at the North American brands. Good value and quality. If you have to purchase in this market the quality of all brands is very consistent. 

 

Diesel Purchase

I want to purchase a diesel powered car. Any thoughts?

Only two manufactures supply diesel here in Canada. VW and Mercedes. Yet in the rest of the world every manufacturer has a line of them. If you are a high mileage driver there is nothing better. Long lasting and terrific mileage soon overcome the price premium of this engine option. If you’re not into high mileage a gasoline option may be better suited for driving in Canada.

 

Car Purchase

I have a questions that I want to buy a car. Most of my friends have Toyota corolla of 1996.1997,1998 and 1995 models and they says buy corolla only for easy and cheap maintenance, one of my friend want to sale his car which is Nissan Altima of 1993 model with 155000kms, it is in good condition with fully loaded I also like it , but my friend says if you buy that car then latter for parts and repairing will be very costly compare to Toyota. please advice me. Ashishjagruti

Nothing wrong with the Altima....
Nissan makes a good product. The cost of service is not out of line with the rest of the industry. Make sure that you obtain a UVIP (used vehicle information package) supplied by the MOT. UVIP will identify the vehicle's financial history and who the actual owner is. Beware if the seller is not actually the owner (could be a curbsider). Have the car inspected by a competent mechanic and make sure it passes an emission test BEFORE you had over your money. A wise man once said "buy in haste, repent at leisure".

 

Lease Audit

The lease on my car is expiring this year. I understand that I’m responsible for damages that are not considered normal wear and tear. How do I know what normal wear and tear is? Is there someone I could ask before I talk to my leasing company? 
Paula

Interestingly, this is always a sore point when returning a leased vehicle. I have heard stories where the people have been charged for lost owner’s manuals and keys. MACCO the body shop chain offers an audit service for lease returns. According to Bob Mauro a MACCO spokesperson they handle a lot of rental car fleets and are familiar with the industry standards that are in effect. The service is free…...

 

Lease Cancelation

I currently lease a 2004 Honda civic SI coupe. My job has currently changed and I no longer need a car and want to get out of my lease. What are my options? 
JP .

This is a bigger problem than you think. Lease companies do not like to close off leases early. Leases are a closed contract. You maybe responsible for the entire value of the contract if the lease company does not play ball. You can offer to pay penalties that the lease company may levy or market your car through a lease marketing company. These can be found on the web : www.goodbyelease.com. Contact these folks and check out your options.

 

 

Fuel & Mileage

Fuel economy

Dave I recently read in the internet that adding Acetone to the gasoline in my tank I will improve my fuel economy. Have you heard of this and is it true?

This is one for the guy’s at Mythbusters. Seem every time the price of fuel climbs all these rumours surface. Cars running on water, magnetising the fuel, magic pills, Platinum injection. The only thing I have experienced that actually works is Hydrogen injection on diesel trucks. Dynamicfuels.com. Best advice I can give you is make sure your car is properly maintained and slow down.

 

Define High Mileage

I am a confused at what is considered high mileage in a used car. I have seen you write about taxis that have gone close to a million kms if well taken care of and then I read in your article in today's paper that 120,000 kms was a lot of wear. We are looking to buy a used truck and the trucks in our price range or 1999's and 2000's that generally have around 130,000- 150,000 kms on them. Many of these trucks drive and handle as good as a new truck but now I am wondering if we buy a vehicle with this many kms on it if we are just buying a worn out vehicle that is going to cause us a lot of problems. I realize that an older vehicle is going to need some repairs. Are we just asking for trouble?
George.

When I mention 120,000 kms is high mileage I mean it in terms of devaluating a used car. If the speedo creeps much over the 100,000 kms mark the value of the vehicle plummets. As far as the mechanical condition of the vehicle, well that’s purely reliant on it's service history. If properly serviced a car should be capable of operating indefinitely....although it's commercial value at best is minimal. 

 

Advertised Fuel mileage

Last July we purchased a 2005 Dodge SX2.0. The rated gas mileage for this vehicle 42 hwy and 36 city. To date we only get 28 hwy and 20 city. We have repeatedly taken the vehicle back to the dealer where we purchased it. The car has 8300 KM on it already. They have done a fuel study on the car and confirmed our findings. And still they have done nothing. The latest report from them was that they were waiting for new soft wear to come in, that was a month ago. With the price of gas always rising we find that this is unacceptable.
Linda

No one ever reaches the advertised fuel mileage figures. Fuel mileage ratings are designed to allow purchasers to compare vehicle efficiency on a level playing field...Mileage irregularities are due to environment and driver variables. In short where do you drive and how's your driving.http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/fuelpgm/guide/page4.htm" is the government site explaining these issues. If you are suspect of mechanical issues, ask your dealer to run it on an emission’s machine. The tail pipe will prove or disprove any fuel mileage problems. 

 

Hydrogen Injection Diesel Engine

I’m a trucker. I have fifteen diesel trucks in my fleet and fifty one other pieces of equipment that run on diesel. Have you heard about hydrogen injection in diesel engines and what can you tell me about it?
Alec

Interesting stuff. There are several companies that are in the field of Hydrogen Injection. As in any new field one company takes the lead. Dynamic Fuel Systems is an Ontario based firm that manufactures a hydrogen generator designed for diesel truck use. The computerized unit injects hydrogen into the diesel’s intake system. According to Tom Fairfull (CEO), hydrogen injection has the effect of reducing pollution and dramatically increasing fuel economy. The unit is reasonably priced and should pay for itself in fuel savings in approximately one year’s operation at current fuel prices. The company is currently testing units designed to work in gasoline powered vehicles. For more info : http://www.dynamicfuels.com/"

 

 

Tires

CO2 Tires

Are there any drawbacks to using CO2 to inflate tires? There is a product on the shelves where a small regulator is attached to a CO2 bottle supposedly enough to fill three 13" tires and with a coiled, flexible hose attached to which one would attach the tire inflator. I'm wondering if mixing air with CO2 would pose a hazard or if the tire was inflated totally with CO2 would be a problem. This product appears to be the ideal "emergency" kit when on vacation should one be unfortunate enough to have a flat. 
TUVM 

Interesting Question: The latest trend in tire inflation is to remove oxygen from the equation. This is done by charging the tires with nitrogen. Oxygen encourages the degradation of the rubber and has tendency to expand more dramatically as the tire warms up. By switching to nitrogen tire pressures are more stable. Using Co2 does not remove the Oxygen from the charge so I would assume it can't be more harmful than straight air. I would also think that Co2 fill is just a temporary measure and when the tire is repaired you use the proper alternative. 

 

Nitrogen Tires

Recently I purchased tires from a local big box store. They offered to install them and charge them with nitrogen. Can you enlighten me on the use of nitrogen?

Nitrogen has been used to inflate tires in the racecars, aircraft and the trucking industry for years. Advantages include better control of air pressure with less loss due to seepage and less increase in pressure due to heat. Nitrogen is dry, this will eliminate corrosion problems inside the tire assembly and the lack of oxygen will also eliminate oxidation of the rubber and rim assembly. So why doesn’t everybody use the stuff? Well actually cost is the major stumbling block. Nitrogen generators currently list in the thousands and customers balk at paying for “air”.

 

 

ETC

Auto vs. Manual

I started looking at new cars. I notice that there is a little or no price difference between standard and automatic transmission. What’s your opinion between the two choices…..

Personally after 40 years behind the wheel I have grown to hate a manual transmission. I should add that I do most of my driving in the big smoke and the stop and go traffic is a bear. Before the development of the modern computerized transmissions the manual gear box offered more speeds, better fuel economy and better performance. None of that is true anymore. So what’s the bottom line? If you’re into performance and enjoy rowing your way down the highway go for the stick, in time you too will grow to hate it.

 

Headlight Cleaning

Hello David, Not sure if you wrote article a few weeks regarding cleaning headlights. I seem to recall it was with toothpaste. Appreciate if you have a remedy. 

Sure, the process of refinishing those clouded headlights is easy although a little time consuming. First off we have to polish the surface of the plastic. Over time the headlight covers becomes abraded with stone chips and sand blasting.  All part of driving.  Start by polishing the headlamps with TOOTHPASTE. Use a moist cloth and work the polish across the entire surface. Take your time. When completed, wash the surface with a mild soap and dry thoroughly.  Wait a good ten minutes before the next step. We do this to ensure the surface is completely dry. Now mask off the headlight and spray a light coat of clear lacquer. You will have to apply two light coats waiting about ten mins.  between applications. That’s it!  Stand back, call the wife over and admire your craftsmanship.

 

Track Day

I have been invited to join a “Track Day” by a friend. Can you tell me how best to prepare and what I should expect? 

What a great experience a track day is. Here’s the opportunity to hot foot around the track. Wrong. Usually if it’s your first experience you will guided around the track by an experienced instructor. The idea is not to hurt yourself or write-off your car. Most insurance companies will not cover vehicles damaged in this manner (check with your insurance company). Believe me, in my Honda racing days, I knew many drivers who were paying off cars that didn’t exist or were rolled into a ball. You may need a helmet with Snell approval (check with the club) and the vehicle must be road worthy.  Have your tech go over the car replacing anything that is questionable. Relax and enjoy the day. It’s good fun. One more thing, you’ll be outside all day so take the sun block.

 

Time to Scrap

Help!! We have a 1991 Chevy Astro Van. It has over 500,000 kms. The body is in great shape. It was well maintained. The reason I am writing is that we have been spending a lot of money to keep it on the road and I would like to know if the time has come to say goodbye. We love this van. Last night it did not make it home. The engine was running, but it would not move. It was towed. My husband says that I am being unreasonable in my expectations. 
Alice 

The real issue we have here is how much do you need this truck? The value of the vehicle is zero. The money you invest is really the cost of driving in the purest form. You’ve indicated that the vehicle is in good condition so our only issue is the mechanical problem. Have your mechanic give you a full estimate and then make you decision. Are you asking too much of this vehicle? Today's cars actually can last forever. I most cases forever is about 300,000 kms. 

 

Single stage vs. Two stage paint

I drive a 93 Honda which is still mechanically sound. The car needs to be refinished. While shopping around I’m being offered a variety of prices. The term single stage and two stage finishes is often used when describing the paint. What do these terms mean?
Sean

I wasn’t sure so I asked my friend Mario over at Macco. Seems that the single stage finish is old technology. The pigment and the paint are mixed and applied in one spraying process. The two stage application is more complex. First the pigment is applied and then a coat of clear (the shine) is sprayed after the first coat has dried. The clear-coat seals in the colour and protects it. Two- stage is also easier to repair if damage and has a smoother finish. As with everything else paint has progressed. Three stage paint is now available (don’t ask). Macco paints more cars than anyone else in North America.

 

Pop-up Sunroof

We have an SUV and would like to install pop-up sunroof. Is it technically / mechanically correct and what would you recommend if it is not correct. Really appreciate your advice/opinion. 
elena&leon 

Back in the 80's pop ups were hot! Back then I would not hesitate in stalling one. That was back then today I would avoid this option .First off they compromise the safety of the vehicle in the event of a roll over. The have a tendency to leak as the rubber ages. They reduce the value of the vehicle. Most importantly for me...you can't shut the thing off...when the sun is beating down on you on a hot summer's day there is no way to block the sun out , in the winter you can feel the cold as it radiates in. In short avoid aftermarket sun roofs.
Guess I must be getting old. 

 

Static Discharge

Every time I get out of my car, when I open the door and touch the outside of it, I get an electrical shock! It's the same kind of shock that you get from scuffing around on your living room rug in your socks, and then touching something. And guess what, it really hurts! What is causing that, and how can I eliminate it?
April

Your talking about static build-up. Exactly as you describe except, the charge is produced by your clothes rubbing against the seat. When you exit the vehicle the electricity discharges against the metal portions of the door. Best advice I can give is try different clothing. I found when I wear jeans the problem is less apparent. The problem is most extreme in dry conditions .When exiting the vehicle touch the door with the back of your hand this will increase the surface area and will reduce the ouch.

 

Key Replacement

I lost the key to my 07 Jeep Liberty the other day. Wow, was I in for a surprise. The replacement, when all was said and done… $125.00. I was told that this was a normal charge for this service, is that true?

Everything on today’s car is high tech. Even the simple key has been elevated into the high tech world. When you insert your key in the ignition it talks to the vehicle’s computer identifying itself. A wrong identity will lead to a no start condition. Treat your key with respect. Don’t drop it or let it freeze. These conditions have been known to damage the imbedded chip. The price of the replacement key up to $700.00, on some high end cars.