So Easy Even a Caveman Can Do It…
Oil changes are still pretty simple. But easy is another thing. If you haven’t done one in awhile - to a new car - you might be surprised by how much...
The Four-Wheeled FRN
A used car is an unknown car. Even with receipts it’s hard to know for sure whether required maintenance was done - and done correctly.
That second part being the intangible part.
A...
The Ride-Along Mechanic
Cars built since the mid-late 1990s have a kind of ride-along mechanic in the form of the OnBoard Diagnostics (OBD) computer which not only runs the show but lets you know...
Ubering is a Bad Idea
How does anyone make money using their car as a taxi?
Well, we’re not supposed to use that word, for openers. It’s ride-sharing. That’s just a dodge, of course. And there’s nothing...
Not a Four Wheeled-Indenture
The more I work on the ’72 Beetle - aka Sexual Chocolate, the car I am helping my teenage protege learn to work on - the more I realize why most...
“Safe” Today . . . But How About Next Month?
Do state-mandated "safety" inspections ensure a "safe" car? On the day of the inspection, sure. The tires are ok, the brakes check out. Fine.
But what about next week?
And six months down...
Make Winter Less Cold
If Al Gore is right, all we’d need to do is collectively rev our SUVs’ engines and the cold of winter would shoo away - or at least dial back a...
“No Scheduled Maintenance Needed!” . . and Other Vile Lies
One way that car companies attract business is by advertising that their vehicles are low-maintenace and - sometimes - no maintenance. This sounds too good to be true and - as...
Trannies . . .
Well, no - it’s not what you thought. This column isn’t about Caitlyn (nee Bruce) Jenner. It is about your car’s transmission. About pros - and cons. And about how to...
Oil Change Pratfalls
Changing a car’s oil is pretty simple - so it’s surprising it gets done wrong so often.
Sometimes, by “professionals” . . . who actually aren’t.
See that part above about “simple.”
Many places...