CHAPTER 17BUYING AND MAINTAINING A VEHICLE

17.1 BUYING A VEHICLE

DO YOU NEED A VEHICLE?

• NEEDS GREAT ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY OWNING A VEHICLE?

• ARE THERE ALTERNATIVES?

CAN YOU AFFORD TO

OWN A VEHICLE?

• CONSIDER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE TO SPEND OR YOUR BUDGET.

• PURCHAS PRICE

•AUTO INSURANCE

•REGISTRATION FEES

•STATE VEHICLE STICKER

•GASOLINE, OIL, TIRES, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIRS

• IF YOU TOOK OUT A LOAN, YOU WILL HAVE MONTHLY PAYMENTS

FINANCING

• PAY IN FULL WITH CASH, YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY INTEREST

• SHOP AROUND AND GET THE BEST RATE ON A LOAN

DEPRECIATION

• VALUE OF VEHICLE DROPS OVER TIME

• WHETHER YOU USE THE VEHICLE OR NOT

WHAT KIND OF VEHICLE

SHOULD I BUY?

ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:

• WHAT WILL I USE IT FOR?

• DO I NEED CERTAIN PASSENGER AND CARGO CAPACITIES? DO I NEED TO TOW ANYTHING?

• HOW MANY MILE WILL I DRIVE EACH YEAR?

• WILL I BE DRIVING MOSTLY SHORT OR LONG TRIPS?

• HOW LONG TO I EXPECT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE?

VEHICLE SIZE

• SMALLER VEHICLES BETTER GAS MILEAGE AND EASIER TO MANEUVER

• LARGER VEHICLES HOLD MORE PASSENGERS AND MORE COMFORTABLE RIDE, BUT MORE COSTLY

ENGINE SIZE AND TYPE

• SMALLER ENGINES ARE USUALLY MORE FUEL EFFICIENT

• LARGER ENGINES COST MORE TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR

TRANSMISSION

• AUTOMATIC VS. MANUAL

• ABOUT EQUAL IN FUEL EFFICIENCY

• AUTOMATIC MORE COSTLY TO REPAIR

• MANUAL REPAIRS MORE OFTEN

KNOW THE SAFETY FEATURES• ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

• AUTOMATICALLY APPLY BRAKE TO 1 OR MORE WHEELS WHEN OVERSTEER OR UNDERSTEER.

• SIDE-IMPACT AIR BAGS

• CURTAIN AND TUBULAR AIR BAGS

• COMBINATION AIR BAGS

• TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM(TPMS)

• ALL NEW VEHICLES HAVE TPMS

• UNDERINFLATION IS LEADING CAUSE OF TIRE FAILURE

KNOW THE SAFETY FEATURES CONT…

• BACK UP CAMERA

• LANE DEPARTURE WARNING

• SENSORS DETECT A VEHICLE DRIFTING FROM THE LANE, A LANE DEPARTURE WARNING SOUNDS.

• VARIABLE RIDE-HEIGHT SUSPENSION(VRHS)

• LOWERS OR RAISES THE RIDE HEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS IN MOTION.

• LOWER TO GROUND = LESS LIKELY TO ROLL OVER IN A CRASH

NEW OR USED VEHICLE

• NEW

• ADVANTAGES:

• WARRANTY FOR REPAIRS AND PARTS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME

• MORE SAFETY FEATURES

• LESS MAINTENANCE

• MORE EASILY OBTAINABLE REPLACEMENT PARTS

• PAID OFF LOAN = SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS

NEW OR USED VEHICLES CONT…

• USED

• ADVANTAGES:

• LOWER PURCHASE PRICE

• CHEAPER TO INSURE

• NO QUICK DEPRECIATION

• WELL MAINTAINED = MANY YEARS/MILES OF USEFUL SERVICE

NEW OR USED VEHICLES CONT…

• NEW

• DISADVANTAGES:

• DEPRECIATION

• INSURANCE PREMIUM WILL BE HIGHER

• HIGHER TAXES AND VEHICLE REGISTRATION

NEW OR USED VEHICLES CONT…

• USED

• DISADVANTAGES:

• NO WARRANTY OR SERVICE RECORDS

• REPLACEMENT PARTS DIFFICULT TO FIND

• RECORDS OF PREVIOUS DAMAGES HARD TO FIND

• NO HAVE ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES

LEASING

• SIMILAR TO PURCHASING, BUT YOU DON’T OWN THE VEHICLE – RENTING

• LEASE ANOTHER VEHICLE

• PURCHASE THE VEHICLE

• WALK AWAY

• DOWN-PAYMENT

HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY?

• NADA

• KELLY BLUE BOOK

• GIVE YOU DIFFERENT VALUES FOR YOUR VEHICLE

OUTSIDE AND INSIDE CHECKS

• DOORS AND LOCKS

• VEHICLE APPEARANCE

• FLUID LEAKS

• EVIDENCE OF COLLISION DAMAGE

INSIDE THE VEHICLE

• SEATS

• LIGHTS

• MILEAGE

• PEDALS AND STEERING WHEEL

CHECK TRUNK

• LOOK FOR DAMAGE

• JACK

• SPARE TIRE

OPEN THE HOOD

• LOOK FOR DAMAGE

• HOSES AND RADIATORS FOR LEAKS

• CONDITION OF BELTS

• COOLANT LEVELS

• BATTERY AND CABLES

TEST DRIVE

• ALWAYS TAKE THE VEHICLE ON A TEST DRIVE

•WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

• ARE THE BRAKES IN GOOD CONDITION?

• IS THE STEERING FIRM?

• HOW IS THE SUSPENSION?

• DOES THE VEHICLE HESITATE WHEN YOU ACCELERATE?

• IS THE VEHICLE COMFORTABLE?

MAKE THESE CHECKS:

• CHECK WARNING LIGHTS

• START ENGINE – LIGHTS GO OFF

• DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS, TEST THE BRAKES

• TURN A LOT

• ACCELERATE MODERATELY

• TEST BRAKES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS

• DRIVE ON A ROUGH ROAD

• CHECK GAUGES

HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED

• BEFORE YOU BUY, HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OK

• OBTAIN ESTIMATES

BEFORE YOU CLOSE THE DEAL

• GET REPAIRS BEING MADE IN WRITING

• LOOK FOR OWNERS MANUAL AND REPAIR RECEIPTS

• READ OWNER’S MANUAL

17.2PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

• ALL MODERN VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM)

• ECM – A COMPUTER LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT CONTROLS YOUR ENGINE’S EFFICIENCY

• ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM TO GIVE OWNERS AND AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIANS QUICK ACCESS TO IDENTIFY AND FIX MALFUNTIONS

FUEL AND EMISSION SYSTEMS• ELECTRONIC DIRECT FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS DELIVER

JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FUEL, RESULTING IN HIGHER PERFORMANCE WITH LOWER FUEL CONSUMPTION

•CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE USED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO REDUCE LEVELS OF NITROGEN OXIDES, WHICH THE SUN HEATS INTO SMOG

•MUFFLER REDUCES THE NOISE FROM COMBUSTION SOUNDS IN THE ENGINE

LUBRICATION AND COOLING SYSTEMS• OIL, GREASE, OR OTHER SUBSTANCES

• LOW OIL PRESSURE CAN DAMAGE YOUR ENGINE

• PULL OFF ROAD, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT FOR ENGINE TO COOL

• LOW COOLANT LEVELS CAN CAUSE YOUR ENGINE TO OVERHEAT

• CHECK AND REPLACE LOW COOLANT LEVELS

• EXCESSIVE HEAT CAN DESTROY ENGINE

• USE PROPER LUBRICATION TO KEEP SYSTEMS OPERATING EFFICIENTLY

COOLING SYSTEM

• ADDITIONAL COOLING

• RADIATOR – HOLDS AND COOLS THE COOLANT

• WATER PUMP – CIRCULATES THE COOLANT

• THERMOSTAT – REGULATES CIRCULATION OF COOLANT

• NEVER REMOVE RADIATOR CAP WHEN ENGINE IS HOT!

LUBRICATION SYSTEM

• OIL PUMP – FORCES OIL FROM THE OIL PAN UP INTO THE ENGINE

• IF OIL PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ON, PULL OVER WHEN SAFE AND TURN ENGINE OFF

• ON AVERAGE 3 MONTHS OR 3-5000 MILES

• CHECK OWNER’S MANUAL

• PERIODICALLY GREASE CERTAIN PARTS

MAINTAINING THE CONTROL SYSTEMS

• STEERING SYSTEM

• CHECK WITH AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN IF LOSS OF POWER STEERING

• BRAKE SYSTEM

• REGULARLY CHECK BRAKE FLUID LEVEL AND HAVE BRAKES CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS.

• WARNING LIGHT MEANS CHECK YOUR BRAKES IMMEDIATELY

• TIRES

• U.S. MUST FOLLOW THE UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY AND GRADING STANDARDS

• TREADWEAR

• HIGHER GRADE LONGER

TREAD SHOULD LAST

• TRACTION

• HIGHER GRADE BETTER

TRACTION

• TEMPERATURE

• TEMPERATURE

• UNDERINFLATION, EXCESSIVE SPEED, OR OVERLOADING CAN CAUSE HEAT BUILDUP

• TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF YOUR TIRES, HAVE THEM ROTATED, ALIGNED, AND BALANCED AS RECOMMENDED BY YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL

• SUSPENSION SYSTEM

• PROVIDES STEERING STABILITY AND MAXIMIZES FRICTION BETWEEN TIRES AND ROAD SURFACE.

• SHOCK ABSORBERS

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

• CAR BATTERY POWERS EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL.

• ENGINE’S CONTROL COMPUTER, IGNITION SYSTEM, RADIO, AND HEADLIGHTS

• DEAD BATTERY

• BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL BEFORE JUMP STARTING YOUR VEHICLE OR ANOTHER VEHICLE.

STARTING A VEHICLE THAT HAS A DEAD BATTERY

• POSITIVE GOOD TO POSITIVE BAD

• NEGATIVE GOOD TO NEGATIVE GROUND

• START GOOD BATTERY

• START BAD BATTERY

• REMOVE IN REVERSE ORDER

• MAKE SURE CLAMPS DO NOT TOUCH

• STATIC ELECTRICITY

• CAN BUILD UP WHEN YOU EXIT AND RE-ENTER A VEHICLE, ESP IN DRY OR COLD CONDITIONS.

• SPARK A FIRE OR EXPLOSION

• DISCHARGE THE ELECTRICITY BY TOUCHING ANY METAL SURFACE BEFORE TOUCHING THE NOZZLE AT A GAS STATION.

FUEL, EFFICIENCY,

RECYCLING, AND SECURITY SYSTEMS

17.3

FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES

• HYBRIDS – COMBINE THE BENEFITS OF GAS ENGINES WITH ELECTRIC MOTORS

• ELECTRIC MOTORS – ALLOWS A SMALLER MORE EFFICIENT ENGINE TO BE USED• THE ENGINE IS CONTROLLED BY AN AUTOMATIC SYSTEM THAT SHUTS THE

ENGINE OFF WHEN THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AND RESTARTS THE ENGINE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED.

MAXIMIZE FUEL EFFICIENCY

• CONTROL SPEED

• WARM THE ENGINE

• LIGHTEN LOAD

• REDUCE IDLING

• REDUCE DRAG

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

• COME FROM RESOURCES OTHER THAN PETROLEUM AND ARE REDUCING OUR DEPENDENCE ON IMPORTED OIL

• ATHANOL

• BIODIESEL

• NATURAL GAS

• PROPANE

• HYDROGEN

RECYCLING

• ONE OIL CHANGE IS ENOUGH TO CONTAMINATE A MILLION GALLONS OF FRESH WATER

• TAKE USED OIL TO A SERVICE STATION , RECYCLING DROP OFF LOCATION, OR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION SITE

• CARS ARE ALSO RECYCLED

SECURITY SYSTEMS

• WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS TO PROTECT YOU.

• KEYLESS ENTRY

• WIRELESS REMOTE

• THEFT PREVENTION

• BAR THAT LOCKS STEERING WHEEL

• SENSORS FOR SECURITY

• ACTIVATED IF EXTERIOR IS MESSED WITH

CALCULATING MILES PER GALLON

• FILL TANK

• ODOMETER READING (A)

• DRIVE NORMAL UNTIL ½ OF TANK

• FILL TANK AGAIN – RECORD NUMBER OF GALLONS (B)

• ODOMETER READING (C)

• (C – A)/B = MPG