Theories & Facts #3

                                       Frank conducting a workshop in Korea. As said in my other Theory & Fact topics, I am in an extreme curiosity situation to know if there are any labels that would provide similar info. Or are the rest just hype?

Does Your Car Make the Grade?

As the end of summer nears, students are getting ready to head back to school. Whether it’s driving to college or carpooling with other neighborhood families, a properly maintained car is the safest, most dependable way to go.

“When your passengers are your children and their classmates, making sure your car gets more than a passing grade is extra important,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “A preventive maintenance check-up and having any repairs performed will give parents peace of mind as their children travel to and from school.”

To make sure your car gets high marks for safety and dependability, the Car Care Council recommends a 21st century tune-up be performed to make sure the following systems are in proper working order: battery, charging and starting; engine mechanical; power train control; fuel; ignition; and emissions.

In addition, the following items should be in peak condition for car pool season: tires and tire pressure; brakes; hoses and belts; air filters; wipers; exterior and interior lighting; and fluid levels, including engine oil, power steering, transmission, brake, windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

The Car Care Council also suggests that all vehicles have a roadside emergency kit on-hand that includes items such as flares, a first aid kit, a tire-changing jack, a tire pressure gauge, jumper cables and a blanket. In addition, important telephone numbers should be stored in the glove box or cell phone in case of a breakdown or emergency.

Source: Car Care Council

Theory or Fact #2

In this part 2 of Theory or Fact, were pictures of very warm discussion with the Best Detailers we have known in Korea. Korean market in the field of Detailing has somehow overtaken many other places. Meeting these fanatics in Detailing had open our eyes in regards to their attentiveness and focus in Theories of Detailing. They would not had been there if they think Scholl cannot transform these Theories to Facts.!

Unraveling date codes on fuel filters and other par

How old is that fuel filter?  Should it be changed?

We ask that question every time a fuel injected car comes into our shop for a check-over.  Modern fuel filters are generally metal, so we can’t see inside.  That leaves us one evaluation option – age.

Most carmakers recommend fuel filter replacement on a three to six year interval.  How do you know when that time is passed, if you have no records?  The obvious answer  . . . read the date code from the filter itself.

If you have a Bosch filter (Robison Service is a Bosch authorized service center) you can find and decode the date stamp.  Here’s an example.

The part number – 0 450 905 295 is the biggest and most obvious number, as it should be.  The number in the oval (957) is the factory code.  The date code is the dot matrix printing at the edge.  In this case the code reads 863.13.1.06

We turn to our Bosch date code index to decode the year and month, 863:

According to our chart, this filter was made in March of 1998.  The next number, 13, tells us the date of manufacture.  The final numbers are plant specific, identifying a particular assembly line or location.

Seeing this part on a 1999 Rolls Royce we can say with some confidence that it’s the original filter.

What if the date code is newer?  How closely can we date a filter on a car from these numbers?  The answer – not too close.  A check of brand new filters from Bentley revealed date codes from April 2010 to June 2011 in August 2012.  That suggests filters for high end cars may sit in warehouses several years before being installed.

A check of date codes on higher volume Mercedes/BMW/Audi filters shows much quicker turnaround.  The filters on their shelves left the factory 2-4 months previously.

So what’s the rule of thumb?

In our shop, if we are looking at an exotic or rare car, I’d allow 2 years for a filter to sit before being installed, and I’d expect it to last 10 years in light use.  So I’d replace any filter whose date code was more than 12 years in the past. 

With a more common car, I’d look to replace any filter whose date code was more than six years in the past.

These are the rules we apply at Robison Service, but your mileage may vary.  Obviously a load of bad gas can clog even a brand new filter, and some filters that are a decade in service are as clean as when they were installed.

Till next time

John Robison

Will my car insurance really cover that? No way!

Here at Robison Service we see lots of unusual failures.  Many of the cars we work on come from a long way away, which means their owners do all their “easy service” close to home.  What we are left with is the difficult, complex, and time-consuming work no one else can do.

Sometimes that work is at the customer’s expense.  However, we find ourselves working for insurance companies more often that you’d think.  Most of the time, our clients do not know the problem with their car may be covered by insurance until we tell them.

What kinds of problems are covered?  I’ll give you some examples.  But first, let’s go over the components of your insurance policy.

Basically, you have three kinds of coverage:

·      Liability insurance covers injures to other people and their cars and property.  We don’t usually make use of the liability parts of people’s policies unless we are fixing a car someone else damaged, and that third parties’ insurance is paying.

·      Collision coverage pays when you damage your car by hitting something you could or should have foreseen.  This is the part of the policy that pays for repairs if you hit another car, a guardrail, or a tree.  It would also cover damage to the undercarriage if you hit a deep pothole.

·      Comprehensive coverage covers “all other risks” to your car.  The scope of coverage varies slightly from state to state, but in general, comprehensive covers all damage to your car that is not covered by collision, and is not a result of normal wear, negligence, abuse, racing, or certain other excluded activities.  People often refer to this part of a policy as “fire and theft coverage” because those are the best-known comprehensive claims.

On more than one occasion, customers have called me to say their car stopped running, and they were having it towed in.  When the car arrived we found it out of oil or coolant, with a damaged engine.  If the car “ran dry” due to a simple leak and the owner’s failure to check his fluids, he’s on his own.  But if there is a crack or hole because the owner hit something . . . we probably have a comprehensive insurance claim.

Am impact to the engine is covered just the same as an impact to the hood or windshield.  The difference is, an impact to the oil pan can lead to $10,000 in damage where an impact to the windshield is seldom more than a few hundred dollars. 

If you make a claim for engine damage don’t be surprised if the insurance company asks for proof the car was running well before the loss.  If they are asked to pay for a new engine they will try and determine the condition of the old engine before deciding what to offer in terms of repair.

That’s one more reason regular service and maintenance records are so vitally important! 

Every time we have a rain that suddenly floods roadways I hear from motorists whose cars swallowed water while driving through puddles where they expected clear road.  Most often water ingestion ruins the engine, and this too results in a comprehensive claim. 

What about damage under the car, when nothing was run over?  A common example comes from the Land Rover world.  The front drive shafts on Discovery II models are notorious for coming apart.  When that happens the shaft starts swinging round under the car.  If the vehicle is moving fast when this happens that shaft can do a lot of damage.  I see transmission cases smashed, floors torn up, and more.  Damage can easily exceed $5,000.

Damage from driveshaft failure will often be covered by comprehensive coverage.  The driveshaft breakage is a routine mechanical failure, which is not covered. However, all the damage that failed driveshaft causes is covered.   That fact is sometimes a surprise to appraisers, but here’s the theory, presented via a different example: Say your steering linkage breaks, and you lose control and crash into the guardrail.  “Of course crashing into the guardrail is covered,” you say.  Well, the guardrail crash was the consequential result of steering linkage failure.  And the torn up undercarriage is the consequential damage that results from the driveshaft failure.  Both should be covered under the same theory of coverage.

By excluding the specific failed mechanical part, and them making a claim for all consequential mechanical damage it is often possible to get a surprising amout of mechanical repair covered under the comprehensive insurance umbrella.

Another example:  A car won’t start, and we find the computer compartment filled with water.  The cause:  A water drain that was blocked with pollen.  The  repair: Thousands of dollars of new electronic modules to replace the ones that got immersed in water.  This claim isn’t so clear-cut.  If the car has drains, someone should be blowing them clean.  If the drain-cleaning is part of a scheduled maintenance activity, and the customer can show that was done, he should be all set.  If the drains clogged after a local “pollen storm” that will probably cover him too.   However, if the area is filled with rotted leaves and debris and it’s obvious the drains have not been cleaned in years – watch out!  The insurance company may tell the owner he caused the problem by failing to maintain the car as required.  The technical term for that is contributory negligence, and it can leave someone on his own with no coverage or reduced coverage.  The moral:  Always check stuff like that when the car is in for service.  You never know what you will find and a simple thing like leaves in a drain tube can have huge consequences if left unnoticed.

The final thing I’ll mention is rodent damage.  Some of our biggest insurance claims come when mice get into collector cars, and chew them up.  If they inhabit a car for long they leave a stench that cannot be cleaned except by upholstery replacement.  This damage too is covered by comprehensive insurance, and claims on Rolls-Royce and other collector cars can run into six figures.

Rodents can also cause fires, if they chew into electrical harnesses and they subsequently short out.  The moral:  pay attention to where you store your cars, and try and keep them rodent free.

I actually have a whole blog essay on rodent damage for those who have this problem.

In closing I will also add that I'm not a lawyer but coverage questions have more to do with reading the policy carefully and interpreting it that they do with the law.  I'm also not an insurance agent, or employed by any insurance company, except insofar as they pay us to fix their insured's cars.

Insurance rules vary, as do policies.  Read yours carefully.

Best wishes and bye for now

John Robison

August 13, 2012

This offer will expire on September 30, 2012!!!.........will be on Trucks and Van Racks, very popular with many trades in the industry, providing safe transportation of your equipment to and from job sites.  We will install these racks on your vehicle with the professional touch and keeping your vehicle as original as possible. Here is a selection of different types of Trucks and Van Racks that may suit your trades requirements and standards.

Regular Truck Rack 1000 lbs and optional 1500 lbs

These professional racks for working trucks impressive strength, elegant design and easy installation. Our racks come with more features than any other rack in the market, making them the best combination of value and performance in the industry.

Features of the Regular Truck rack:
-No Drilling required
-Includes hardware for permanent mount installation
-Rack can be removed easily
-Fits all pick ups trucks with a short bed or a long bed
-Convenient rear grab handles
-Wind deflector eliminates cab noise
-Built in tie down
-Gold, zinc-plated Grade 8 hardware provides maximum strength and durability
-Rear cross bar is easily removed for carrying cargo

The regular rack, can be order for either 1000 lbs
or you can increase the strength to 1500 lbs

Regular 1000 lbs Rack installed and supplied is on sale now for only $499.95 plus all applicable taxes:
Regular1500 lbs Rack installed and supplied is on sale now for only $599.95 plus all applicable taxes:


THIS OFFER EXPIRES September 30th, 2012

Cab Racks for Pick Ups

These professional racks for working trucks impressive strength, elegant design and easy installation. Our racks come with more features than any other rack in the market, making them the best combination of value and performance in the industry.

Features of the Cab Truck rack:
-No Drilling required
-Hardware included for permanent installation
-Rack can be removed in minutes
-Round tube design to minimize road noise
-Built tie down.

Cab Rack will fit any truck short or long box

Cab Rack supplied and installed is on sale for Only $189.95 plus all applicable taxes 

THIS OFFER EXPIRES September 30th, 2012

Side Mounted Ladder Rack:

These professional racks for working trucks impressive strength, elegant design and easy installation. Our racks come with more features than any other rack in the market, making them the best combination of value and performance in the industry.

Features of the Sid-Mounted Ladder Rack:
-Black powder coat finish
-provide maximum utility with minimum space
-No drilling required
-Hardware included for permanent installation
-Rack can be removed in minutes

Side-Mounted Ladder Rack

Side-Mounted Ladder Rack supplied and installed is on sale for only $219.95 plus all applicable taxes.


THIS OFFER EXPIRES September 30th, 2012

Van Rack:
These professional racks for working trucks impressive strength, elegant design and easy installation. Our racks come with more features than any other rack in the market, making them the best combination of value and performance in the industry.

Features of the Van Rack:


-Black powder coat finish
-provide maximum utility with minimum space
-No drilling required
-Hardware included for permanent installation
-Rack can be removed in minutes

Van Rack as Displayed

Van rack will be installed and supplied is on Sale for Only $199.95 plus applicable taxes.


THIS OFFER EXPIRES September 30th, 2012
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY SPECIALS

RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com

TIRECRAFT!!
We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!

Roadside Assistance Portion of the ADVANTAGE program

August 8, 2012

Tirecraft is now offer an industry-leading coverage to all of its clients, with the sale of the Advantage Program along with Roadside Assistance. Their will be three programs to choose from your basic standard Tirecraft Advantage to the elite Tirecraft Advantage which will included "MySavers Everyday Discounts", which will feature 240,000 Discount offers on Fine Dining, Shopping Discounts,Golfing, Entertainment just to name a few of the Discount Offers you will take advantage of with this package.

Lets Review All three Package

Tirecraft Advantage:

This basic coverage is provided with mechanical work or any passenger or light truck tire purchased at an authorized Tirecraft dealer.
-Limited Manufacturer Treadwear Warranty
-12 month, 20,000km Mechanical Warranty. (some conditions apply see limitations for full details)
-30 Day Tire Satisfaction Guarantee.

Tirecraft Advantage Plus:

This coverage includes everything from the Advantage program plus the following:
-Free Flat Repairs
-Free Rotations
-3 year Road Hazard
-1 year / ONE incident Roadside Assistance
-Towing (16 kms)
-Flat Tire Service

Tirecraft Elite

This is Premium coverage catered to those who travel frequently and want peace of mind with extra added value. It includes Advantage Plus and the following:
-1 year / THREE incidents, Roadside Assistance
--Towing (16 kms)
-Flat Tire Service
-Lockout Service
-Battery Boost
-Emergency Fuel Delivery

MySavers Everyday Discounts
with 240,000 Discount Offers on Dining discounts, Shopping Discounts, Savings on Events and Attractions and much more Discount Offers.

Don't wait for a Roadside Emergency to take full advantage of the benefits included in your Tirecraft Elite Plan. Your membership allows you to save up to $100.00 every month.

Stop by for more information on these package and start enjoying the benefits and peace of mind these programs will provide you with.


SUBSCRIBE TO OUR SPECIALS
RJ PICK UP SERVICE
241A Main Street North
Uxbridge, Ontario, L9P 1C3
Phone 905-852-4238
Email: rjpickupservice@hotmail.com
TIRECRAFT!!  We're driving towards a cure with every car we serviceshow your support and go pink!!