A Woman's Point of View: Black Ice, Heating/Cooling and Mufflers

by Colette, Cars for Keeps Office Manager

Going down the list of subjects we should be talking about in our Blog, I find myself thinking about my own past experiences with my cars. For example; Driving On Ice Safely.

Take one teenager driving her father’s car at night on slippery streets. I come to a stop where I either have to turn right or left. Directly ahead is someone’s driveway that leads to the garage. Simple enough except I can’t stop. I am continuing to slide all the way down the driveway where the door to the garage is open, thinking, “I am going to go right through the back of this man’s garage”, “I wonder what is behind the garage? A cliff?”, and “My dad is going to kill me when he gets the bill for this one”. The happy ending was that I stopped inside the garage before reaching the back wall. Whew!

Or the subject of Heating/Cooling System Maintenance. We all know that a lot of heat is generated in a running vehicle. The cooling system is to keep the engine heat down so the engine won’t burn up. Very important. A friend, who was a long distance trucker, once told me that he would wrap a beef roast, potatoes and corn on the cob in tinfoil and cook it on his manifold. He said it would take up to 350 miles in the summer and about 700 miles in the winter to cook it to perfection. I am fairly gullible so I still don’t know if I should believe it or not. I would like some feedback on that one.

And, last but not least, the subject of Cars For Keeps Muffler Shop. I am having this image in my mind of our mechanics, Mike, Robert and Steve, sitting on oil cans out in the garage knitting these long, long scarves (used to be called mufflers) and then wrapping them around the car’s windows and tying them expertly with various knots. To bring out the personality of each car, of course. Color is important. I have to stop my imagination before this turns into a Disney movie.

To finish on a serious note, winter is very hard on mufflers, what with the extreme cold, ice chips flying up under your car and scraping bottom on snow and ice. Tis the season to be a little more aware of what is happening underneath your vehicle.

Where did the $39 BMW oil change go?

I grew up thinking of oil changes as inexpensive, quick services. Yet the simplest of services on a late model Mercedes or BMW seems to cost $150 or $200. How come?

The first part of the explanation lies in the oil itself. In recent years the European carmakers have extracted more and more performance from less and less fuel using sophisticated technologies. Anyone who’s compared a 2008 BMW 5-series to a 533 from the mid 1980s can’t help but notice the difference.

The car designers have pushed the limits of engine technology to get today’s performance. That means engines run hotter, and there’s more stress on the internal parts. Engines now contain plastics and exotic metals, which need different kinds of protection. And finally the service intervals are far longer, so the oil in today’s BMW has to last several times as long as the oil we installed 25 years ago.

The result of that change is a much higher performing car that needs far higher performance lubricants than cars of yesterday. And the costs of getting it wrong are high . . . an engine that fails from sludge buildup or other lubrication failure can easily cost over $15,000 to replace.

Important as it is, engine oil or “motor oil” is totally misunderstood by most technicians and consumers. People glance in their owner’s books and see that their car takes 5-30 oil. They don’t even know what 5-30 refers to, so they assume any 5-30 oil will meet their needs. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact, all non-synthetic and most synthetic SAE 5W-30 oil products available in North America fail to provide adequate protection for North American BMW and Mercedes cars that require a 5W-30 viscosity oil.

For example, both Castrol Syntec 5W-30 and Mobil 1 5W-30 both fail to meet BMW minimum requirements. Castrol and Mobil both make products that are suitable for BMW and Mercedes engines but they are not readily available in North America. Even respected brands like Amsoil and Redline fail to offer products that are approved by BMW. In the case of Amsoil and Redline, SOME of their products will serve well but are not technically approved and do have the potential to create problems under certain conditions.

Due to the widespread ignorance of oil service ratings in North America, BMW reduces the minimum requirements for cars sold on this continent. The Genuine BMW 5W-30 oil meets the reduced "LL-98" requirements. LL-98 is the long life oil standard that BMW established in 1998. That standard was superseded by a tougher one in 2001, BMW LL-01. Robison Service and other good BMW specialty shops use the higher grade "LL-01" approved oil for improved protection. These products will improve protection and improve the effectiveness of the BMW oil monitor system.

Mercedes has similar standards for its cars, and for that matter so do Porsche, Volvo, VW, Audi and most other high end carmakers. Ignoring the carmaker requirements is to court disaster. Having said that, I see that very thing happen all the time. People buy inexpensive oils in the mistaken belief that all oil is the same, and they feel good because they saved $50 on an oil service. But what happens when the engine fails and they face a $10,000 repair bill? That’s truly an expensive lesson.

Oil is not the only component of an “oil service.” There is also the filter. At Robison Service we use genuine filters and filters from Bosch and Mann, two of the principal suppliers to European carmakers. These filters cost a bit more, but once again they meet the carmakers requirements. A filter that clogs and causes an expensive failure isn’t much of a savings . . .

Finally, a proper service includes reading and resetting the maintenance system. All late model BMW and Mercedes cars have flexible service computers, where the car keeps track of what’s due and when. You may think the car just needs an oil change, but the maintenance system may be asking for a brake fluid change and new cabin filters too. Once again, there can be serious consequences if the recommended services are ignored.

Dealers and properly equipped independents will have the necessary electronic systems to talk to the car’s service computer. It’s very important to do this, and to scan for faults, because your car’s computer is all that stands between you and a breakdown in many cases. And if you ignore a stored fault (which may be invisible from the dashboard) you may not get any other warning before the car fails.

Finally, a proper service includes a careful visual inspection by a technician that’s familiar with the marquee. You can’t find that anywhere except at a dealer or specialist.

That’s why we don’t call these services oil changes anymore. We call them small services. BMW separates oil service from inspection service. Mercedes Benz A Service is their small service. We do that because they always include an oil change but they often include additional work as dictated by the car or our inspection.

How to Drive on Black Ice

by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

If you have ever encountered black ice while driving, you know the pulse pounding, adrenaline pumping, heart dropping "Oh MY" feeling I refer to.

Crying Mommy! might help hold off the panic but won't keep you out of the ditch.

There are several items to be aware of that may help you avoid a near coronary in the first place.

Tuesday morning's drive to Big Rapids gave me a bit more first hand experience. The overpasses & underpasses were extra treacherous. The strong side wind was a significant factor as well. The pavement looked sugary, the right lane was glossy "in the groove", but was just as slick outside the groove.

1. Check the forecast. Conditions for black ice are fairly predictable by the weather services. Identifying it while on the road is difficult at best, unless you are already on it. Pavement with black ice will be a little darker and duller than the rest of the road surface.

2. Be extra aware of the traffic ahead (Uh... NOT by being closer) If you see brake lights, fish tailing cars, sideways cars or emergency flashers, slow down even more. Down shifting gently to a lower gear can help you stay within an engine speed range that will give you more control at lower speeds (if your engine is running at 1,500 rpm's it is much less responsive than at 2,500 or 3,000 rpms).

3. If you don't know how your vehicle responds in a skid, find a parking lot and TRY IT! Try it until your response becomes more natural. Build that "muscle memory". You need to react. Most of the time you won't have time to think about it. Front wheel drive responds differently than rear wheel drive and all wheel drive. All wheel (or four wheel) drive is a wonderful thing, but you can't fight physics. On black ice, we're all about equal. Anti-lock brakes make very little difference on black ice, they rely on at least one wheel having at least partial traction to activate effectively.

4.If your tires are worn, all of the conditions above are multiplied exponentially. I often preach and ALWAYS practice that good tires are cheap insurance.

5. If you hear that black ice is expected, stay where you are if you can.

Black ice can lead to a scary, expensive hard ditch landing or worse. Take the time to know the feel of your ride, look at the forecast and avoid the gottagetthereitis we all suffer from at times.

WINTER DRIVING, AND LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT

Our recent series of winter storms proved the obvious once again: snow and ice makes for tricky driving. On my short drive home during the storm the other night, I saw a tractor trailer jack knifed into a snow bank, a car down an embankment and another car stuck in a snow drift. These drivers proved that snow and ice are slippery, and driving on them requires special driving techniques. Obviously! If it’s so obvious, then why do drivers feel the need to test these physical limits regularly, much to the delight of tow trucks and body shops throughout the area? Winter driving is not impossible. It just requires some discipline and a little common sense.

The first rule: SLOW DOWN! Obvious, but how many tractor trailers or SUVs have whizzed by you on the Turnpike, only to end up off the road a few miles later? Think about it, tires are rubber and so are hockey pucks. The difference between your car navigating safely and sliding across a winter road like a puck is the traction gained from the tread of the tire. The slower the vehicle travels, the more chance the tire has to disperse snow or moisture out of its tread, and grab for more. If the tread does not clear whatever form of moisture, it’s just rubber floating on the surface. Your tire is now a hockey puck with no traction. Slow down and let the tread work for you.

As you start out on a winter’s day, begin slowly to get a feel of the road conditions; to learn what the appropriate, safe speed may be. Winter driving experts advise drivers to double their distance to other cars, as compared to dry conditions; that’s two car lengths for each 10 mph. Also, keep alert, looking ahead for changes in road surfaces and conditions. Always look for an out in case of a collision or a slide. If you do need to stop quickly, remember not to pump your ABS brakes. Allow them to work as designed by applying steady, firm pressure. While ABS brakes and stability control are handy inventions, they don’t replace common sense when things get slick. Slow down and stay alert.

When driving in the winter, beware of the false confidence of 4 wheel drive. 4x4 can help you get out of a jam, but it can also put you in one. 4 wheel drive only helps if a drive wheel is slipping, like if you are stuck in a drift. Once your vehicle is underway, traction is a factor of tires, not how the wheels are being driven. A state trooper was interviewed during our last storm, and he said that nearly all of the rescues for that storm were a result of SUVs going too fast. His comment, the braking ability and stopping distance of vehicles are the same, regardless of rear wheel drive, front wheel dive or 4x4. Need proof? A friend’s 4x4 SUV slid through a red light during that storm because the tires were on ice. 4x4 did nothing to help him. The fact that he was driving slowly is what saved him.

Final bit of advice: prepare your car properly for driving. Clean the snow and ice off of the entire vehicle, not just a peep hole through the windshield. You don’t need a chunk of snow sliding from your roof to your windshield, obscuring your vision as you brake to a stop. Meanwhile, the car behind you doesn’t need a huge boulder of snow flying off your car and into his. Defrost your windshield and windows fully before your drive, to ensure that you can see around all 360 degrees of the vehicle. It’s hard enough to see when driving in rain, sleet and/or snow; you don’t need to add to the danger by peering through a peephole.

As proud Mainers, we know that snow is a fact of life. With a little common sense and discipline, drivers can stay safe all winter long.

What it Means to be an AAA Approved Auto Repair Shop

by Rob Hopp, Cars for Keeps Owner

Fewer than 2% of all Michgan Auto Repair Shops ever become AAA Approved. We are the only one in the area, and being a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility is a proud honor for Cars for Keeps. To be AAA Approved means that we have met the strict quality standards for auto repair and customer service of the AAA Auto Club.

This means they trust us enough to send their members to us for auto repair and maintenance.

When an AAA member needs to be towed to an auto repair shop, we are a shop they recommend. In order to remain an AAA Approved Auto Repair shop, we receive periodical visits from an inspector sent by the Auto Club to make sure we are adhering to their stringent standards. They also take hundreds of our actual repair orders and survey our customers to see how they were treated and how our service worked out. Our most recent survey resulted in a Customer Satisfaction Rating of over 98%.

The AAA is serious about making sure we are a trustworthy shop that performs a high level of quality workmanship and customer service. In other words, if the AAA can trust us enough to send their members here, so can you. This along with our recognition by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence helps ensure our people are educated and trained in the latest automotive technologies, procedures and techniques that fix your car for keeps.

To learn more about the AAA's auto repair certification program, visit the AAA Michigan website.

Timing Belt Tuesday Plus! (the "Cats" are away...)

Mike sent this out to our email contacts, but I wanted to make sure all our bloggers knew about this super secret special. Looks like next Tuesday is a good day to get that timing belt replaced. The mice at Cars for Keeps are some hard working critters! Don't forget to read Mike's sharing disclaimer at the bottom, and make sure you call 616-846-1986 to book this offer. - Marjorie

Hi, this is Michael from Cars for Keeps.

We found out that Dennis and Rob are going to an all day meeting next Tuesday, So I thought we could surprise them by showing how much we can get done, while running a smooth shop all day.

Dennis sends out these Timing Belt Tuesday messages, so I thought we could sweeten the deal a bit with Valentines coming & all.

If you drive a car with a timing belt, you'll need to have us service it sooner or later. To urge you to service it sooner, we'll give you an instant rebate equal to 20% of the total cost of your bill (even including other services) up to $200.00!

Now, we are known to be a fun loving group out here in the shop, but now we are extending this to ANY work done this coming Tuesday January 26th, 2010 (Rob will want to whip me, but I'll just blame it on Congress or someone nearby).

One note; I can't offer this discount on oil changes, tires or batteries, otherwise Dennis might make me work on all the French cars & Yugo's from now on.

If you are one of the first two clientsto take advantage of this offer, we will throw in aBONUS, FREE rental car for the day ($26.00 value). Or -A FREE pair of Bosch Evolution Wiper Blades(up to a $38.00 Value!)

This offer is only sent to our valued clients. It is NOT offered to walk-in customers or through any other advertising, so it is indeed a unique and valuable deal, however feel free to forward this to any of your friends & family that might be in need of this service. We always appreciate your kind referrals. Now, To take advantage of us, just reply to this e-mail if you need the free rental, or to be extra certain you are one of the first, call us at (616) 846-1989 right now!

Winter and Cold Weather Car Care Tips

Engine and cooling system

First, if you're a Do-It-Yourselfer, get under the hood. Otherwise, visit your friendly automotive technician. Winter only magnifies existing problems like pings, hard starts, sluggish performance or rough idling, so make certain the engine is in peak condition. Check the cooling system, too. Coolant should be flushed and refilled every 2 years. Your folks will not necessarily know this, so don't wait for their nod on this one.  See the rest of the tips here.

Be Careful Out There!