When it comes to caring for my car, it isn't high on my priority list...thankfully we have AAA to get us out of the temporary problems such as a flat tire or a flat tire. I recently hosted a Jiffy Lube Gift Card Giveaway which was provided by Shell Lubricants and MotorOilMatters.org through MyBlogSpark!
Summer is now upon us and I don't want my readers to end up stuck on the side of the road...it isn't a fun time! As part of the Giveaway, I was able to interview Jody DeVere, President of the Women’s Automotive Association International and CEO of the auto-advice site AskPatty.com. I think you will benefit from reading her responses to my questions...I know they were super helpful to me! Patty, thank you for taking the time to assist me in improving my car!
1. I have a car that is around 10 years old. Recently, I have begun to notice the paint is starting to chip and curl on the roof the car and on the hood. Florida sun does some mean damage to cars. What can I do to prolong the paint life of my next car that I buy?
Use high-quality appearance products like Black Magic or Blue Coral.
-Do not use dish soap to wash your car.
-Make sure you wash your car in the shade.
-Use CAR soap along with a good thick, soft terry cloth glove.
-Get a good shammy to dry the car off with. Wax it as per directions.
-After you wax the car, spray water on the now waxed car to seal the wax onto the car.
-Then do the final dry with the shammy.
-Using a car cover when not parked in the shade or under cover will also help.
2. I used to wash my car once a week and wax it once a month. After beginning to work full-time for the first time in my life, I haven't washed or waxed my car in over a year. Is there any harm in me not washing and waxing my car?
Not washing and keeping your car waxed regularly can potentially lead to cosmetic damage to the paint and finish. Using high-quality appearance products matter.
3. My friend is interested in finding a used car but she doesn't know where to begin. I've told her to go after a car that is less than 7 years old and that has less than 75,000 miles. We've been searching for a reliable used car for over a month and they all seem to either be older than 7 years or they have high mileage (150,000+). Should she just spend the extra money to lease a new car?
Many newer cars 2005 were built to last 200K – 300K miles if the owner maintains the vehicle properly. These higher mileage vehicles may still have many good miles left on them and are very cost efficent. So there are options available to her, depending on the finical situation. Just be sure to have an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician do a complete inspection prior to purchase.
4. I recently noticed my windshield wipers stopped doing their job. I drove through a very heavy rain the other day and I almost stuck my head out of the window to see better. Everything looked smeared and smudgy. I'm curious if I should just clean off the wipers or if I should buy new wipers. What do you suggest for someone who always seems to get stuck driving in the rain?
It definitely sounds like you need new wiper blades. Ninety percent of all driving decisions are made based upon visual input. Make sure you have a clear view of the other vehicles on the road and potentially hazardous obstacles. Inspect your wiper blades and replace them with a quality brand blade, like Rain-X, if they are cracked, torn, cut or streaking, so you can see clearly.
5. I've always wanted to estimate my gas mileage but have never done it. Any suggestions on how to properly go about doing it?
Step 1 - Drive until you empty your gas tank.
Step 2 - Fill the gas tank completely. Write down the number of gallons it takes to fill up your tank from empty. It can range anywhere from 10 to 30 gallons depending on your vehicle.
Step 3 - Reset the odometer (the frontal device that says how many miles you have driven).
Step 4 - Drive until your car is near empty. Divide the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it takes to fill your tank.
Example: You drive 350 miles to empty your tank and to fill up your tank it takes 12 gallons of gas…Your vehicle gets roughly 29 miles per gallon.
Summer is now upon us and I don't want my readers to end up stuck on the side of the road...it isn't a fun time! As part of the Giveaway, I was able to interview Jody DeVere, President of the Women’s Automotive Association International and CEO of the auto-advice site AskPatty.com. I think you will benefit from reading her responses to my questions...I know they were super helpful to me! Patty, thank you for taking the time to assist me in improving my car!
1. I have a car that is around 10 years old. Recently, I have begun to notice the paint is starting to chip and curl on the roof the car and on the hood. Florida sun does some mean damage to cars. What can I do to prolong the paint life of my next car that I buy?
Use high-quality appearance products like Black Magic or Blue Coral.
-Do not use dish soap to wash your car.
-Make sure you wash your car in the shade.
-Use CAR soap along with a good thick, soft terry cloth glove.
-Get a good shammy to dry the car off with. Wax it as per directions.
-After you wax the car, spray water on the now waxed car to seal the wax onto the car.
-Then do the final dry with the shammy.
-Using a car cover when not parked in the shade or under cover will also help.
2. I used to wash my car once a week and wax it once a month. After beginning to work full-time for the first time in my life, I haven't washed or waxed my car in over a year. Is there any harm in me not washing and waxing my car?
Not washing and keeping your car waxed regularly can potentially lead to cosmetic damage to the paint and finish. Using high-quality appearance products matter.
3. My friend is interested in finding a used car but she doesn't know where to begin. I've told her to go after a car that is less than 7 years old and that has less than 75,000 miles. We've been searching for a reliable used car for over a month and they all seem to either be older than 7 years or they have high mileage (150,000+). Should she just spend the extra money to lease a new car?
Many newer cars 2005 were built to last 200K – 300K miles if the owner maintains the vehicle properly. These higher mileage vehicles may still have many good miles left on them and are very cost efficent. So there are options available to her, depending on the finical situation. Just be sure to have an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician do a complete inspection prior to purchase.
4. I recently noticed my windshield wipers stopped doing their job. I drove through a very heavy rain the other day and I almost stuck my head out of the window to see better. Everything looked smeared and smudgy. I'm curious if I should just clean off the wipers or if I should buy new wipers. What do you suggest for someone who always seems to get stuck driving in the rain?
It definitely sounds like you need new wiper blades. Ninety percent of all driving decisions are made based upon visual input. Make sure you have a clear view of the other vehicles on the road and potentially hazardous obstacles. Inspect your wiper blades and replace them with a quality brand blade, like Rain-X, if they are cracked, torn, cut or streaking, so you can see clearly.
5. I've always wanted to estimate my gas mileage but have never done it. Any suggestions on how to properly go about doing it?
Step 1 - Drive until you empty your gas tank.
Step 2 - Fill the gas tank completely. Write down the number of gallons it takes to fill up your tank from empty. It can range anywhere from 10 to 30 gallons depending on your vehicle.
Step 3 - Reset the odometer (the frontal device that says how many miles you have driven).
Step 4 - Drive until your car is near empty. Divide the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it takes to fill your tank.
Example: You drive 350 miles to empty your tank and to fill up your tank it takes 12 gallons of gas…Your vehicle gets roughly 29 miles per gallon.
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