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This page gives information about saving money and keeping your vehicle running properly. Please scroll down for more articles and information.
Vicki Williams,
Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
Why hire a professional technician.
Many people are concerned with the high price of fuel, trying to pay other bills, loss of employment, etc. The economy is hurting a lot of people - individuals and businesses as well. People are looking for ways to save money, make the funds go a little further. I don’t blame you. I do the same thing.
One way to help your dollar go further is to maintain your vehicle properly. Routine maintenance can help extend the life of your vehicle. It can also help prevent more expensive repairs - sometimes when you wait too long, parts break or cause additional parts to fail, resulting in extra fees. If a vehicle is not running right, it could be using more gas - and who needs that with today’s fuel prices? Yes - the fuel prices have come down - but why waste it? In some cases, when a vehicle is apart for certain repairs, a professional technician may recommend replacing a part that is known to go bad - even though it is working properly now. While the cost of the part may be a little more than you wanted to pay, if you have to replace it later, you will have to pay to take the vehicle apart again - if it is a big job - you could save a lot in labor.
More customers are trying to save money by letting their friend work on their vehicle. Some of these people are technicians looking to make a bit of extra money on the side. Some of them are unemployed and are doing anything to pay the bills. While some of them can make the repairs properly, some cause more problems than you can imagine. I have no problem of you checking my business out - contact the Better Business Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, look at my website for customer testimonials, check the internet for reviews, ask around town. I want you to feel comfortable about having your vehicle fixed properly. If you decide to have a friend do it, you are taking a risk of getting someone who can talk like they know what is going on - if you don’t know much about cars you could believe anything they tell you - but can they do the job properly and safely? Sometimes they work in an auto related shop - so you think you can trust them. Some are very qualified. But many shops have certain technicians do certain types of jobs - ours included. We have one technician that mainly does our big jobs such as engine replacements but we would never dream of having our oil change person or the technician who replaces brakes do the same job - and they are all classified as an auto technician.
We have seen some of the results of a friend working on the vehicle. Sometimes easy jobs are not done properly. We have seen parts installed incorrectly, components left loose, we find additional parts that the other person missed, sometimes new parts are defective. Some vehicles are unsafe AFTER their friend makes the repairs. We have seen running problems where someone tried numerous parts - sometimes guessing what the problem is - and it now runs worse than before. Now you have paid for parts and labor - some of which may have been needed - but some may not have been - and you still have a car you can’t depend on. If you are lucky, you found someone who could do the job right the first time. But if you aren’t you have to decide - do you take it back to the same person and have him try again? Will he cover the repairs? Will he charge you extra? Will he take care of warranty on defective parts? Will the parts store cover labor if you don’t have a receipt to show you paid for it? How soon can he get it in? Can you trust his repairs this time?
Let’s look at it another way. Your vehicle is almost like a house on wheels. Of course my husband refers to my car as a purse on wheels. Your house consists of plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical wiring, etc. Many of you also have computers in your home. If you have a need in your home, you would probably call an expert such as an electrician. Your vehicle also has these same components - and then some - but usually compacted into a much smaller area. There are many components on a vehicle that could fail at any time. My husband is a Master Certified ASE Technician - he has to know something about all these components - so he is like a plumber, electrician, heating & air conditioner technician, computer technician, etc. but works on cars instead of buildings.
While there are some very dependable people who can make the proper repair the first time in their personal garage, you take a chance on losing money when you take it to someone who can’t. You are sometimes further ahead to pay the extra to the professional. Don’t get me wrong, professionals can and will make mistakes - after all we are human - but professionals have a better chance of doing the job right the first time and will usually offer a guarantee in case a new part would fail.
More Information to Help Save Money On Your Auto Repair!
added 9-16-2008, written by Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
We understand times can be tough - rising gas prices and heating bills, loss of jobs, etc. We know - we are facing the same inflated prices right along with you.
Many businesses, including us, are forced to pass the higher costs on to you, the consumers. So I thought I would help you make the most of your money.
Here is a big one - help us diagnose your car faster with proper information. A lack of information can take more time to diagnose and be a waste of your money since we have little to start with. Here is an example of what could happen without all the information. "Check my brakes." Our technician looks at the brakes, they look fine. We drive it down the road, don't hear any noises. We call you up and you are frustrated because we didn't find any problems. Your next comment is "It makes a horrible noise the first thing every morning." Key words - first thing - we were not the first ones to drive it that day - you brought it to us that morning. Now we have 45 minutes into checking something that only happens the first start of the day. We keep it overnight and try it again in the morning and find your problem in a short amount of time. The more information you give us, the easier it is to narrow down the area we need to check to determine the problem. Today's vehicles are full of many pieces and parts and can be difficult to diagnose. So when you notice something is wrong, take notes of what you hear, when you experience the problem, on bumps, turns, backing up, when heater is on, etc. Also let us know if you or someone else may have tried to fix the problem.
I know many of you try to get the most wear out of your vehicle parts. When we inspect your vehicle, we advise what has a little more time and what could be a safety issue very soon so you can prioritize your repairs. At the same time, we can not tell you how much longer parts could last - so if you are told a part is getting bad, have it checked periodically so it does not become unsafe. This could also save you money in the long run. Too many times we have seen a vehicle several months later that we diagnosed with a part that was getting bad but not a safety issue at the time of inspection - it comes in on the back of a tow truck because the driver waited TOO long - it turned into an unsafe vehicle. Now in addition to the actual repair, you have towing, possibly additional repairs, maybe a ticket for an accident and/or emergency room bills for injuries. Was it worth it? Was it worth risking your family and others by allowing an unsafe vehicle to be on the road? Consider yourself lucky if no injuries were involved.
We also realize many of you are trying to save money by asking your "mechanic friend" to make repairs because he/she can do it cheaper than we can. While some of these mechanics are very qualified, we have seen numerous vehicles where the "friend" made the repairs - parts are installed incorrectly (sometimes creating an unsafe vehicle), bad parts were overlooked, parts left loose, the new part is defective, etc. Now you have to contact your "friend" to correct the repairs or pay to do the job correctly. If your "friend" is doing it on the side, will he make time to get you back on the road or will you have to wait until he gets a free weekend? Who will take care of getting the part warranteed if it was a bad part - and will the parts store pay to replace the defective part? If your friend did not give you a receipt, you have no proof of paying for labor. Plus some stores have requirements that must be met to receive warranty. What if the same problem comes back in a couple of months - will you still have warranty? If there is warranty on parts and/or service, we stand behind our work at Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment.
We don't blame you for trying to save money. Just make sure you get all the facts before you try to do so. Sometimes, trying to save money can cost a lot more in the end. We look forward to seeing you soon at Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment.
Text messaging while driving can be dangerous!
Article added 2-17-2008
In a recent poll, the American Automobile Association discovered that out of 1,000 16 and 17-year-olds, 46 percent of them admitted to text messaging while driving. Some teens receive and send as many as 500 text messages a day.
That means a lot of distracted drivers could be on the roads. Many people - old and young - use text messaging to contact family and friends. While text messaging is fun, texting while driving - sending or reading - is extremely dangerous and can often cause personal injury accidents sometimes resulting in wrongful death. Teens many times lose a best friend.
Teens aren't the only ones to blame. Many adults use cell phones with personal computing capabilities, such as the Blackberry or the iPhone. Checking email, sending memos, dialing phone numbers and setting appointments while driving can be just as distracting as text messaging. If you do need to use your cell phone, Blackberry, iPhone, etc. pull over to a safe location first.
A distracted driver increases his risk for an accident anytime he takes his eyes of the road for more than two seconds. Most collisions involve some form of distraction. It takes both hands to drive a car, and only seconds to cause an accident. Keep yourself, your family and friends safe by keeping your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and give it your full attention.
Safety Tips for Driving on Snow and Ice
Original article By Mac Demere - modified article by Vicki Williams
Article added 2-17-2008
Sometimes the best tip is to stay home, or at least wait until snow plows and sanding crews have done their work. If you crash on a snowy or icy road, you'll certainly be late — or worse. But since you can't always avoid driving on a "snow day," it's better to learn how to correctly deal with driving in bad weather.
Make sure you have tires with adequate snow traction - a tire requires at least 6/32-inch deep tread, according to The Tire Rack. (New passenger-car tires usually have 10/32-inch of tread.) Ultrahigh-performance "summer" tires have little or no grip in snow. Some "all-season" tires don't necessarily have great snow traction: Some do, some don't. If you travel where the roads are regularly covered with snow, use snow tires.
Replace windshield wiper blades - I personally prefer the winter blades since they do not freeze up as easily. Clean the inside of your windows. Apply a water-shedding material (such as Rain-X) to the outside windows, including the mirrors. Make sure your windshield washer system works and is full.
Before you leave, remove condensation and frost from the interior of windows. Make sure your defroster is working properly. Use your headlights so that others will see you and prevent them from pulling out in front of you. Make sure your headlights and taillights are clear of snow. If you have an older car with dingy headlights, get a new set of lenses.
Learn how to get maximum efficiency from your brakes before an emergency. It's easy to properly use antilock brakes: Stomp, stay and steer. Stomp on the pedal as if you were trying to snap it off. Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle. (A warning: A little bit of steering goes a very long way in an emergency.) If you drive on icy roads or roads that are covered with snow, modify your ABS technique: After you "Stomp" and the ABS begins cycling — you will feel pulses in the pedal or hear the system working — ease up slightly on the pedal until the pulsing happens only once a second. For vehicles without ABS, you'll have to rely on the old-fashioned system: For non-ABS on a mixed-surface road, push the brake pedal hard until the wheels stop rolling, then immediately release the brake enough to allow the wheels to begin turning again. Repeat this sequence rapidly. This is not the same as "pumping the brake." Your goal is to have the tires producing maximum grip regardless of whether the surface is snow, ice or damp pavement.
If the road looks slick, it probably is. This is especially true with one of winter's worst hazards: "black ice" also known as "glare ice." This is nearly transparent ice that often looks harmless or is overlooked entirely. Test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel.
Remember where icy roads tend to occur such as bridges, intersections and wherever water runs across the road. If a slick section in a turn causes your front tires to lose grip, the common — but incorrect — reaction is to continue turning the steering wheel. This will not improve the situation and may make things worse. If the icy conditions end and the front tires regain grip, your car will dart whichever way the wheels are pointed - such as into oncoming traffic or an obstacle.
If you do have to travel - bottom line - give yourself enough time. Do not rush - it is better to be late than to not arrive at all. Keep the cell phone handy but do not use it while driving. Drive defensively. Be careful if you do venture out.
CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING AS DANGEROUS AS DRIVING DRUNK!
This article was copied from Workers' Comp Quarterly Spring 2007, article written by Aria Alaudini
A study released in 2006 concluded that talking on the phone while driving is as dangerous as driving drunk. The study also showed no noticeable difference inimpairment between those talking on handdheld versus hands-free phones.
The University of Utah researchers who conducted the survey put volunteers in virtual vehicle simulators to analyze their performance. They found similar reaction times for legally drunk and cell phone-using drivers. Both were far less reactive than undistracted drivers. Quick reaction times help drivers avoid accidents and increase safety.
Save on Your Next Auto Repair Bill
By Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
If you are like most people, you do not want to spend a lot on vehicle repairs. Sometimes preventing more severe problems is the answer. For example, when you start to hear the brakes making a noise get it checked right away. Some people wait until they have more money available, but instead pay a higher bill later. Why? Sometimes the rotors or drums could have been turned when they started to make the noise, but due to continuing to drive on them, the rotors or drums are now scarred and can no longer be used safely - now the set needs to be replaced.
When taking your vehicle for repairs, give as much information as possible. Better yet, write everything down so you don't forget. When does the problem occur? Do you hear the noise all the time or under certain circumstances? Is it worse when the vehicle is warm or at the first start of the day? Does the weather affect it? Where have you noticed the leak? When the check engine light is on, does the vehicle act differently? You get the idea. The more information the technician has, the quicker he/she will be able to diagnose your problem.
Some people are under the impression that the garage will have a computer that will tell you what is wrong. But there are different diagnostic techniques and equipment for different problems. Many of these special diagnostic devices cost as much as a house or a new car - so if a shop does have the equipment, they will need to charge you a minimum charge to diagnose the problem - so you want to have as much information available as possible so the correct equipment is used the first time. Then again, sometimes no equipment is needed - just a skilled technician - I have seen my husband take some vehicles for a test drive and could tell what the problem was.
Unfortunately, vehicles are not like they used to be 30 years ago. At one time, if a vehicle ran rough, a simple tune up would take care of it. Now running rough can be caused by a bad tune up, faulty computer, plugged catalytic converter, along with many other things. If you are not sure what is causing the problem, give the symptoms. We recently had a vehicle come in for a poor running problem. We scanned it for codes and found multiple ones. We later found that someone was trying to fix it and disconnected and reconnected components under the hood. This caused additional codes to develop. We had to clear the codes, drive it to reset the codes and start over. If the vehicle had been brought in earlier, we may have found the necessary codes on the first try. Sometimes, if you disconnect the wrong things, you can cause additional problems that did not exist before.
Most important, do not be afraid to ask questions. While you may not understand everything your technician explains to you, you will have the comfort of knowing some of the details. We frequently offer "show and tell" to our customers. We show them the problem on their vehicle or show them the defective part after it is replaced. The additional knowledge will help you feel more confident of your selected shop.
Why Do My Tires Wear Out So Fast?
By Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
Tires are such an important part of your vehicle. They are the only thing between your vehicle and the road. Therefore, you want to make sure they are safe.
Tires require proper maintenance. When we sell a set of four tires, we normally offer a free tire rotation every 6,000 miles and a free basic front end alignment. (Duals and larger trucks are excluded from this offer.) Even with this free rotation, many people will not get their tires rotated on a regular basis. This can result in the front tires wearing out faster than the rear tires.
Running the tires without the recommended amount of air pressure (or PSI’s) can cause a tire to wear out prematurely. The air pressure changes inside your tire as the weather changes. Some shops will check it when they do your oil change or rotate the tires. Too much air will cause the tires to wear out in the middle. Not enough air can cause damage to the sidewall or wear out the outside edges. If one tire has more or less air than the other tires, it can cause the vehicle to pull.
A vehicle that is not aligned properly can cause edge wear on tires. If you have your tires replaced at one shop and have it aligned at another shop, notice how the old tires wore out. Was the wear on the outside edge, the inside edge, worse on one particular tire, etc. When we replace the tires and do an alignment, we look at the old tires to determine how they were worn. This information will help flag problem areas to help make your new tires last longer.
Bad parts on a vehicle can also wear out tires. Bad shocks or struts may not be a safety item but will cause your tires to cup. For many parts that are located in the steering or suspension, if they are replaced, it is strongly recommended to have the vehicle aligned immediately. In some cases, when steering components are replaced, you could just drive across town and destroy a tire if you do not follow up with an alignment.
In keeping safety in mind, make sure you are prepared for a blow out. Do you have a spare available? If you have locking lug nuts, know where the key is kept and verify that it is returned to that location every time you have a tire removed. If you use a “fix a flat” type adhesive inside your tire - MAKE SURE YOU LET THE TECHNICIAN KNOW BEFORE HE HANDLES THE TIRE!
So remember, if you take care of your tires, they will last longer and help get you and your loved ones home safely.
Have you Driven Your Teen-agers Car Lately?
By Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
We were all young drivers at one time. How many of us knew when our car was not working properly? I know I didn’t. But my dad would take my car periodically for a drive - just to make sure it was working properly. Then I started to date a mechanic and Jim took over from there.
Many times parents do not have the slightest idea if there is anything wrong. Their teenager tells them - “I never heard any noise.” (If they did hear it, they just turned the radio up.) “That red light on the dash bothered me so I just covered it with tape.” “The car is just a piece of junk, I heard the noise but just kept driving it.” Yes, we have heard similar stories - by the parents and the drivers. Some of the young drivers do not know what to watch for. As you are teaching your child to drive, instruct them on how to read the dash board signals. Many vehicles have warning lights - an easy instruction is - if the light is red, stop the vehicle immediately. If there are gauges, advise them the needle should be between the red (or orange) marks. You get the idea - each vehicle is different so make sure they know how to read any warnings in any vehicle that they may drive.
Some of the vehicles we have brought in were unsafe. And the parents had no idea that their loved one could have been left on the side of the road, or involved in a deadly accident.
Our 21 year old daughter and 18 year old son are now driving. While teaching them to drive, we advised them to watch the gauges and listen for noises so they can alert us of a potential problem. And they did listen. We received a call when our daughter’s car started to overheat - she pulled over and called immediately. She let us know when the brakes did not feel right and when the oil light came on. Our son tells us when his car is not running right. And their Dad takes their vehicles for periodic drives to see how it is running, since he is the one who will be fixing it and will want to fix easier problems instead of replacing an engine or another expensive repair.
Encourage your teenager to go to the repair shop with you. Have him/her call and set up maintenance items such as oil changes and tire rotations. Let them explain what the symptoms are when additional repairs are needed. Allow the service manager to explain to him/her what may have caused the problem, what to watch for in the future, and what needs to be done. You could explain it to them - but by letting the new driver talk, it helps prepare him/her to handle vehicle repairs in the future with confidence.
So what are you waiting for? Clear a seat in your teenager’s car, turn down the stereo, snap on the seatbelt and go for a test drive. Also do this every time the college student comes home for a visit. Hopefully you will not find anything wrong. But if you do, the drive will be worth it - it could possibly even save a life.
Suggestions to Help You Save Gasoline Money
By Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
1 Make smooth starts and stops. When you push the pedal to the floor and when you make an abrupt stop, you waste gas. It can also cause extra wear and tear on your vehicle.
2 Perform routine car care. Dirty air filters and oil filters, worn tune-up components, overdue oil changes and problems with the emission control can reduce fuel economy. Follow your owner's manual recommendations or talk to our service manager for more information.
3 Check tires and align your vehicle regularly. Low tire air pressure is not only dangerous but also costly. It creates unnecessary drag on the engine, prematurely wears out tires and burns more gas. When the vehicle is out of alignment, bad front-end parts or dragging brakes can also reduce fuel economy by 10% along with wearing out tires.
4 Buy the right octane. Most cars work ok on regular gas (unless you hear an engine knock.) Follow the recommendations in your owner's manual on which octane to use.
5 Use your air conditioner properly. Running the air conditioner can greatly increase fuel consumption. Open the window if fresh air will cool the vehicle sufficiently. Park in the shade and open windows when you get in to let hot air escape.
6 Lighten the load. Remove extra weight that is not needed - such as extra tires, beach chairs, a case of motor oil, etc. The added weight lowers fuel economy. Rooftop luggage racks create a drag that will reduce mileage.
7 Avoid heavy traffic. Stop and go traffic takes a drastic toll on fuel usage. When possible, avoid periods of peak traffic congestion. Also avoid unnecessary idling, which burns more gas than turning the engine off and restarting.
8 Drive smart. Keep your speed down. When driving 65 mph, you use about 15% more fuel than when driving 55 mph, and driving 70 to 75 mph may consume 25% more. Also keep a constant speed - use cruise control when you can. Use overdrive if you have it (most vehicles with automatic transmissions do). That way, the car will shift into gas-saving mode at about 50 mph.
9 Plan your errands. Short frequent trips guzzle more gas. When possible, combine errands with your daily driving routine - pick up grocereis on the way home from work for example.
10 Fill up in the morning. You will get slightly more fuel for your money if you fill up when it's cooler outside. (Cooler gasoline is more compact.) Savings can add up over time.
Check out these websites for additional tire and safety tips and information:
Don’t Let Car Breakdowns Ruin Your Vacation
By Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Alignment
When preparing for a trip, travelers will remember to make reservations, decide what sights to see, and what clothes to pack. But the most important thing that you may depend on could be your car. Make sure it is ready to go at least one month before leaving. Many times, customers call us just before they plan to leave, only to delay the trip due to major repairs or waiting for parts to come in from out of town. What a disappointment! I remember when I was younger, my family was on a camping trip when one of the vehicles broke down. My cousins, brother and I had to entertain ourselves while we waited for our dads to repair the truck - it seemed like time dragged since we were anxious to get on the road again.
Even though your vehicle may have been very dependable up to this point, still have your vehicle checked before you leave. When you drop off your vehicle for the inspection, make sure you let them know that you are depending on this vehicle for your trip. This way the shop will check things that normally may not be checked. This will not guarantee that you will not break down but will eliminate some of the possibilities.
Check your tires. Are they getting worn? Do they have enough air? Are you prepared in case you have a flat with a spare tire and tools to change it, including the key to remove the lug nuts. If your tires look like they are wearing unevenly, have the alignment checked in case you might have any bad front end parts. When you have the tires rotated, have the condition of the brakes checked. If you plan to pull a trailer, make sure the tires on your vehicle are of the proper load range to handle the extra weight.
Listen to your engine. Do you hear any unusual noises such as rattles or whines? It could be a sign of something serious. If you ignore these warning signs, you could be left stranded. Plus, with the price of fuel today, you want to obtain the best gas mileage your vehicle can get.
Check the oil. Many times, shops will do a safety check when doing oil changes - some shops may charge a little extra but it will be worth it if it prevents a breakdown. In addition to checking for oil leaks, ask your mechanic to check for worn hoses, belts, fluids, battery, windshield wipers, lights and other components.
Pay attention to your fuel gauge. Some older vehicles do not have accurate gauges. The last thing you want to do is run out of gas miles away from home. A friend of ours was traveling recently in an older car. He said he filled up and had been traveling for hours when he noticed that his fuel gauge had not moved for quite a while. He was sweating as he watched for the next exit with a gas station.
Always travel prepared. If you have AAA, make sure you have the number with you along with other emergency numbers. Have your updated insurance card in the glove box. Take an emergency kit with a minimum of basic tools, jumper cables, a flashlight with extra batteries, warning devices such as reflective triangles and a first aid kit. If you take a cellular phone, make sure you have a charger that can be used in your vehicle or an extra battery. You will not regret being prepared but you may regret it if you aren’t. Have a safe trip and enjoy yourself.
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I hope you enjoyed reading these informative articles. If you would like to share an article that you found interesting, please let me know & I may include it here.
Vicki Williams, Williams Norwalk Tire & Aliignment
