What do you do if you start hearing or have been hearing a weird noise?
The easy answer is to get an inspection by ASE Certified Tech. They can find the cause and also find other damage it may have caused.
To protect yourself, though, you should take the time to listen to turn off the CD player, roll down the window - and listen to your car:
Did you know that there's a law out here to protect you as an auto repair consumer? If you don't know about it, it could cost you hundreds!
It's called the R-D-I- law, and it stands for: remove, disassemble and inspect.
When you are quoted a price for disassembly, in order to inspect, and determine what is wrong, the quote must include the cost of putting the vehicle back together, unrepaired. This is not unlike exploratory surgery when they don't remove the tumor.
Many so called cheap brake shops end up selling parts or services that you don't need.
Have brakes inspected and measured
Find a good shop, which will teach you about brakes before you need them, and who will answer your questions.
It is also important to flush your brake system regularly:
What is Hydroplaning? Hydroplaning is the loss of contact between your tires and the road because of water buildup. When your car hydroplanes, it essentially turns into an unsteerable sled, which is especially dangerous if there are people or vehicles in front of you on the road.
Rain means high danger for hydroplaning. Older highways with ruts and non-porous surfaces have a higher occurance of Water puddles...and thus an increased danger of hydroplaning.
How do I avoid Hydroplaning?
So, you've been told your car needs expensive repairs. Should you repair it or trade it? Let's examine some issues that need to be considered...
The fact is, some people keep their car too long, and some trade too often.
A JD Power study revealed that a person would save over $450,000 during their lifetime if they kept their cars an average of 10 years.
We have ALL experienced a dead battery, whether in the cold weather or not. Cold weather is the time most car batteries fail, but battery failure is not exclusive to the cold!
A battery service and test is the best insurance you can buy to keep you form being stranded next winter!
THE PROBLEM
Extreme temperatures stress your car -- especially the starting system. In the winter, when you have a cold engine, cold oil and a cold battery...well, it's a bad combination.
Weak batteries are caused by
Because a car is mechanical, it can develop noises or vibrations when something is wrong.
What kind of noise is your car making? Don't be afraid to make the same noise for your technician (even if it's humerous)...Clicky clicky, squeal, groaning, etc.
The best solution is to note when it makes the noise or vibration...
Any car dealer in the world would love for you to believe that you have to take your car back to them for maintenance. On the contrary, many independent repair shops can take care of the same repair needs that your dealer can. More often than not, you'll actually find more talented technicians at independent shops.
For most new cars, scheduled maintenance should be done at 15k, 30k, 45k, 60k, and 90k miles. Be sure to check the owners manual for your car's specific requirements.
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