Car Talk Archives - Page 8 of 9

Where Did The Transmission Dipstick Go?

I remember when we checked transmission fluid by pulling the dipstick out. We could tell many things by that dipstick but today it isn’t that simple. Many new models don’t even come equipped with a transmission dipstick!

Automatic transmissions have become marvels of precision and durability over the years. Many are 5, 6, 7 or even 8 speeds and do not have a dipstick to allow checking or adding to the fluid level or inspecting the fluid condition, unless you have specialty tools to do so.

Vehicles with “dipstickless” transmissions came about due to people adding incorrect fluid. For example, a person or non-qualified shop, added or changed the fluid with the incorrect type of fluid. The transmission would fail prematurely because the less expensive fluid did not lubricate properly and failure was imminent. The consumer might put the fault on a poorly designed or defective transmission.

Some of these transmissions are filled with what the manufacturer says is “lifetime” fluid that they claim does not require changing, while other makes may require fluid service at very long intervals that are often 100,000 miles or more. I have seen many transmissions over these last 38 years, and I recommend changing your transmission fluid at 50,000 miles. If the fluid checks out okay, then a longer change interval is acceptable.

With rules regulating the automotive manufacturers that mandate fuel mileage be increased every year, vehicles have replaced the good old “one type of transmission fluid fits all” cars with very specific synthetic fluids. The cost of today’s transmission fluid can be staggering, ranging from $6.00 to $26.00 per quart. Adding the wrong fluid will damage the internally lubricated parts over time.

Please do your homework when having any service performed. It can be devastating if the wrong fluid or incorrect fill procedure is performed.

Please call us with any questions at 626-963-0814 or visit our website at www.CertifiedAutoCA.com.

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

Ford’s Aluminum-Bodied Trucks

Ford announced at the 2014 Detroit auto show that it would build the best-selling pickup truck in the nation with aluminum bodywork in 2015.

The reason: automakers are wrestling with a federal fuel economy mandate that calls for the nation’s new-car fleet to average 54.5 mpg by 2025. So more manufacturers will likely turn to lighter aluminum, high-strength steel and even superlight carbon fiber.

The equation is simple: Less weight equals less fuel burned. A cubic foot of aluminum weighs about one-third as much as a cubic foot of the steel traditionally used to build car bodies. The switch from steel to aluminum trimmed the F-150’s weight by 700 pounds—enough to boost a 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder Ecoboost F-150’s combined city/highway fuel economy average from 18 mpg to 20 mpg, according to Fueleconomy.gov.

European cars have been using aluminum for decades. Aston Martin and other makers of exotic cars for many years had aluminum body panels hand-formed by skilled “panel beaters.” Today, Aston Martin, Audi, Jaguar, Porsche, and Tesla, among others, have models with bodies made almost entirely of aluminum. Mercedes-Benz’s latest C-Class sedan is 200 pounds lighter, compared with the previous edition, thanks to extensive use of aluminum in its body.

Are there any downsides to aluminum? There are, aluminum can dent easily.

So Ford came up with a remedy making the body panels thicker than we did with steel—that is, we increase the gauge—but still save weight overall. We also apply a patented heat treatment during manufacturing to increase the strength of the aluminum.

Another concern is aluminum is more expensive in its raw state and in its fabrication than the traditional steel we’ve come to know in our cars’ bodies. However, if aluminum bodywork is scrunched in a collision, it can be very costly to repair, requiring more time, training, and special tools. And many body shops aren’t up to the task.

One Tesla owner on the Tesla Motors Club website describes a relatively minor fender bender not severe enough to set off air bags but that resulted in $20,000 of bodywork.

The new F-150 was designed so that smaller sections of, say, a rocker panel or floor pan can be replaced rather than having to replace the entire units, mitigating some of the extra cost.

Nevertheless, the higher cost of fixing aluminum bodywork could be reflected in higher premiums for the comprehensive and collision portions of your insurance bill.

In the long run, fuel savings may eclipse any higher insurance costs that aluminum-bodied F-150 owners might face. Or so Ford hopes.

I Did It!

I did it! The Automotive Service Association (ASA) held its Automotive Management Institute (AMI) graduation and award ceremony Saturday August 12^th in Anaheim, CA. It was an awesome event.

I was honored to be included in the 1^st graduating class, earning the new A.M.A.M. degree (Accredited Master Automotive Manager). 49 people graduated by accumulating 180 credits though many accredited management classes. Others in attendance earned the Accredited Automotive Manager (A.A.M.) degree with 120 credits as well.

I work hard to be the best I can be and support our industry, thank you ASA

The Mechanic Is Not Ripping You Off By Charging A Markup On Parts

Mechanics charge you more for parts than what you can buy those parts for online. People ask me about it from time to time. Is this a ripoff? No, it’s not.

This question usually pops up in my line of work when someone goes over a work order with a fine-toothed comb and then “checks” the prices they were charged for parts against prices on the internet. $249 for an alternator? You can buy one on Amazon for $86!

A markup on retail items—car parts or otherwise—is part of any business. And comparing Amazon prices to anything retail is misleading. My latest book (sorry not sorry for the plug) has a cover price of $39.95 but Amazon is giving them away for only $30.53.

Why is this? Among other things, Amazon does not run a local retail location with a person standing at a counter who can answer your questions.

But the parts question has a few more components. The part you get on Amazon might not be the same quality or have the same warranty as one from the local shop. The cheaper alternator cited above from Amazon comes with a one year warranty. The Ford Motorcraft alternator comes with a two year warranty.

And let’s face it: If you want that cheapo price on that car part, you have to buy it and install it yourself. While you might be fine with that, most people aren’t (hence the number of times I get asked this question.) When you pay the expert to install the part in your car, part of what you are compensating them for is what they bring to the transaction. The ease of installation (it doesn’t require you to get your hands dirty!) and the expertise. Most people would rather have the part installed by an expert who has done the installation many times before than try and do it themselves in their driveway.

And that installation quite likely comes with a warranty. The alternator dies the next day? Take it back to the shop if they installed it. You installed it? Pop the hood and start troubleshooting, Chief. Is the part defective or did you install it wrong?

I posted a question and asked guys in the industry to write and give me the lowdown on markups at dealerships and shops. Parts markups can vary from shop to shop and from dealer to dealer. Generally though, there are industry standards. What you are buying is the expertise of the shop and helping them keep the lights on and the doors open.

Would there be a markup that was too high? Of course: If they charged you $2490 for the $249 alternator, that would be a price “grossly in excess of the value of the goods.” In Michigan, and many other states, that would make it wrong. But notice the phrase “grossly in excess . . .” Simply charging you retail for a part that you can buy for close to wholesale isn’t going to break the law.

So, before you freak out when you see the price difference between the shop price and Amazon, remember that the comparison is not fair. Mechanics have to feed their kids too. And if you want the cheap price, you’re going to be doing the work yourself.

Catalytic Convertors Have Changed

Catalytic convertors have become more complicated. Usually a check engine light will light on the dash, your service provider reports a code after scanning the system. Further testing determines the catalytic convertor system has failed.

Older cars had one catalytic convertor and were able to be replaced for $300.00 or less. Starting in the early 2000 model year cars, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) change the standards on emission levels, meaning cars now have multiple catalytic convertors (some cars have 4 or more) to comply with the tighter emission standards.

CARB also change the rules about making the less expensive one shot wonder convertors as we called them, because the catalytic convertor lasted long enough to pass a smog check and then failed several years late, but were cheap. The new law is that everyone sold is warrantied for 5 years or 50,000 miles and has an executive order (EO) number that is made for the exact car it is installed on.

The consumer beware alert is some service providers are installing incorrect EO number convertors that cost less than the correct one, please beware when a catalytic convertor is purchased. You will fail a smog test if an incorrect EO number part is on your car.

One other warning is California is an island when it comes to emission parts; there are 49 state parts and California only parts. Catalytic convertors made for 49 state cars are illegal for California cars, so if you shop online, please look for the fine print, 49 state parts are not legal for California cars.

Clean air is what we all want and sometimes the consequences come at the cost of the consumer. We have had some cars cost thousands of dollars for catalytic convertors, so my recommendation is to keep a well maintained car to have the system perform at peak performance. Believe it or not the correct engine oil and regular changes help with a long lasting convertor, which should last 150,000 miles or more.

What Will You Do With Your In-Car Time?

With self-driving cars on the horizon promising a great experience for the passenger (yes, you are no longer a driver but a passenger!) what will that look like? Imagine yourself going down the road and you decide to spend your time surfing the Internet. You and your family are going on vacation. Since you have more than likely set this up via the Internet and your car is connected it will know this. It can then send you information on things you might like to do while there and even coupons on special events.

Some say that the self-driving car may become your delivery service. What if you want to pick up an order from a restaurant or another place of business! You might be able to arrange for your car to go all by itself! I am just imagining this…it is time for your car to come to Certified Automotive Specialists for service. You arrange an appointment and your car drives itself to our shop, we do the service and send it back home to you! How about that?

Self-driving vehicles are supposed to cut way back on accidents. They say that 90 percent of accidents are due to human error and the self-driving car will eliminate this. I do wonder about the other 10 percent…hmmm.

Now the potentially bad news…getting slammed with advertising. Yes…that has been brought up and of course all involved claim that it will not be a spamming experience but an enhancing experience. It is supposed to help us plan our day and be a user-friendly tool rather than an annoyance. We will have to wait and see.

Currently, the average driver in Glendora spends two hours in their car a day. It would be nice to use those hours to relax or to be productive. A self-driving vehicle will certainly make that possible. Certified Automotive Specialists is here as always to make sure your vehicle is ready to go when you need it. We don’t see that changing with newer technology driven cars. You can count on us!

Please call us with any questions at 626-963-0814 or visit our website at www.CertifiedAutoCA.com.

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

Is Your Air Conditioner Ready for Warmer Days?

Spring is in the air in Glendora and hot summer days are coming our way. Many of our customers’ thoughts are turning to…air conditioning. At Certified Automotive Specialists we get countless calls asking us how much it costs to fix. There is no one simple answer to this question but I’ll give you some industry-wide estimates so you have something to go on. Generally, if you drive an older vehicle it will cost more to fix because the parts will be harder to find.

Testing the A/C System: A technician must test the system to determine what is wrong with it. This requires a test for leaks and an inspection of the parts such as the compressor, condenser, hoses, and valves. The most help a consumer can be is to give as much information about when the condition occurred.

Evacuating & Recharging the A/C System: This is the most common fix of the A/C system. Refrigerant will naturally seep out over 3 to 5 years and will need attention.

Leaking Hose: We use a leak detection unit to test for leaks.

Compressor Failure: This is the most complex of all to fix and will be the costliest. The compressor is the pump that keeps the Freon flowing.

Replacing the Complete System: The cost of this is determined by the make and model you drive. Usually this occurs when someone tries to save money and adds the off the shelf sealer as a quick fix, it always causes grief later.

Working on air conditioning systems is not easy. The system itself is built in and around your car’s engine making it difficult. Specialized equipment is required and a technician that is certified in this area is a must. In some countries it is illegal for a non-authorized technician to work on A/C systems. A non-experienced technician can inadvertently cause problems and contaminate the environment.

These prices are not set in stone but an industry-wide average. We will have one of our certified technician give you an estimate after they have diagnosed your vehicle.

Please call us with any questions at 626-963-0814 or visit our website at www.CertifiedAutoCA.com.

Hometown Service You Can Count On!

Vulnerable To Hacking

We at Certified Automotive Specialists love cars and it is also how we make our living. This is why you can count on us to stay up-to-the minute on all things involving cars. When the FBI and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently said motor vehicles are increasingly vulnerable to hacking, we took note and wanted to share it with all our friends in Glendora!

What is one of the many advantages of a connected car? Software updates that a driver simply downloads. Imagine receiving an email update for your vehicle and instead of it being legitimate, the links are taking you to a malicious website/software. All this “connectivity” makes us vulnerable to those who want to use it for bad.

Most of the time, being aware of the possibility is helpful. Know who has access to your vehicle’s information. We password protect our smart phones, laptops and other devices and are very wary of giving this information to just anybody. We need to be just as concerned who has this information when it comes to our cars.

This is why in future it will be very important to choose an auto repair facility wisely and stick with them. You have to take your vehicle to a trusted source and not just take it here for an oil change, there for a brake job and still somewhere else for cooling system services.

When it comes to recalls, we at Certified Automotive Specialists suggest you regularly visit the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) site http://ww1.nhtsa.com/ to get the latest information. This will let you know if the “update” information you are given is legitimate or just a ruse to make you vulnerable to a hacking.

Hacking is serious business and can of course cause annoyances but even worse, it can cause accidents and serious injuries.

Stay safe, Glendora! Certified Automotive Specialists is here to help!

Please call us with any questions at 626-963-0814 or visit our website at www.CertifiedAutoCA.com.

Hometown Service You Can Count On!