One of my headlights winked out like 2 weeks after I bought my car. When I took Mut to the dealer, he asked me to pop the hood. “How?” I asked, and just started pulling on lever-like objects, successfully opening the trunk.
I’m not helping with the girls-don’t-know-cars stereotype. I’m a great map reader, however… And in high school, I was quite good at math!
But there’s still tons about my car that I just don’t know. For ex, in this month’s Kicking Asphalt, Better World‘s newsletter, I found out that the 1995 Honda Civic is the #1 most stolen car! (The KA archives are here, but the December issue that this article’s from is not online yet)
Why? Why? And should I be worried? I hope to go car-free altogether in the next few years, so I don’t want any fancy expensive alarm type thing. But I’m wondering — should I be doing something in addition to simply locking the car — you know, like The Club — to ward of would-be-thieves?
Also, my tires are balding. I tend to just take Mut to the dealer for everything — even windshield wiper inserts and oil changes — cuz I don’t know much about cars (see anecdote above). But during my last oil change the guy at the dealer told me I needed new tires — and said they could do it there but I might wanna go where I usually go — which made me think that I could get a better deal elsewhere. Where? (And will anything bad happen if I just don’t get new ones? Cuz I’d rather spend it on the real necessities, like coffee and wine — But I have a feeling this replacing-balding-tires thing is not a practice I’m supposed to question, which is why the inquiry is in parens.)
I also know that keeping the tires properly inflated will gimme better mileage = saves gas = saves planet. What I don’t know is how one keeps one’s tires properly inflated. I don’t know how to use those air thingies at gas stations. And I’m afraid the dealer’ll get peeved if I drop in just to ask them to check my tire pressure. Is there a place I can go to get this done without feeling silly?
Also, I never wash my car. We have a lotta birds in the ‘hood that poop indiscriminately, so I feel it’s kinda pointless. But does this laziness actually harm the car in any way — aside from aesthetically?
C’mon readers — Show off your car savvy –
Update, 1/9-13/06: I got new tires locally, for cheap. Also, I got a manual! Thanks all for yr excellent advice –
If someone wants your car, they will take it. Club or no club.
Insurance will cover the cost of a stolen car. Well, they’ll give you what a bank would loan you for the car. Probably less than you paid, unfortunately. On the topic of insurance. Please buy as much “uninsured motorist” coverage as your company will sell you. Why? The person who hits you won’t be driving a brand new mercedes. No, it will be someone with no insurance. Your “uninsured motorist” coverage will then cover you. I learned this the hard way.
Bald tires. Not good. Get new ones.
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Now some bad advice. If you only drive in dry conditions, and the tire is not worn through, ie, you can not see the “threads”, you _could_ drive on the tire till you see the “threads”. IE, all the rubber is gone in one or more spots. However, i don’t recommend you do this. Your stopping distances will be much father with worn tires. Plus, if it rains when you are out on your worn tires, more than likely the car will not stop, but slide. Very bad. So please, Get new tires.
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The dealer is usually a rip off of a place to get anything done to a vehicle. Sams, Costco, uh, WalMart, would be better. Call around, check prices.
Air pressure is _very Important_. Buy an air pressure gage at walmart. Couple of bucks.
Open your driver side car door and look for a sticker on the door, or close to where it locks to the car body. There should be a sticker that lists your tire pressure. No sticker? Look on the sidewall of the tire itself. It will list the maximum pressure. Stop by your dealer, or the walmart and ask one of the guys in the garage how to use the tire pressure gage. Then every week, stop by an “air thingie” at a gas station. Don’t trust the gage on the hose, they are notoriously inaccurate. I know it’s a hassle, but if you are concerned about the environment, get new tires, and keep they properly inflated, by checking the air pressure in them once a week. Oh. BTW, air pressure should be taken when the tire is cold. Driving on the tire heats up the air inside. You will not get an accurate reading on a warm tire. Yeah, i know it’s a big hassle. Depends on how much you care. Make it a way of life to keep your tires properly inflated.
Never washing your car could be bad for the paint in the long run.
I don’t think bird crap will eat into the paint, but who knows. I know eggs will destroy your paint if not washed off immediately.
Oh, and get a manual if you car didn’t come with one. Read it. Lots of useful info in there.
Hope this helps.
Comment by woodrow — December 30, 2005 @ 10:40 pm
Not clear, and doesn’t matter, if yours is 1995 Honda Civic. I have the same car and having it for over ten years now, with 140+K miles, I would miss it terribly if someone took it away. I have never washed it (or had it washed) although I used to vaccuum clean the interior myself once a year of so before I stopped doing even that a few years ago. Since life is too short to worry too much about cars, I religiously take it to Foreign Affair for scheduled maintenance. I, like many others here, trust them, and take their advice/recommendations seriously.
Reg. tire pressure, I use Digital Tire Guage to check tire pressure about once a month.
I hope this helps.
Comment by Garam Chai — December 30, 2005 @ 11:09 pm
So I get the sense that the Clubs don’t do shit?
I have excellent uninsured motorist insurance. I almost feel like I owe it to them — They can’t legally buy insurance, even if they wanted to…
woodrow — STOP GOING TO WALMART! But I understand from your comment that, since I’m planning to drive up to San Francisco at the end of January, I’ll really need to get new tires before then. But if not the dealer, where? Where?
And where does one get a manual for a 1995 model?
I don’t do Amazon, but I’m thinking of this tire gauge. Garam — Can you vouch that this’ll be easy enough for a car-ignorant gal to use?
Comment by Siel — December 30, 2005 @ 11:51 pm
Siel, since the tire guage I use is not the same as what you are pointing to, I’m afraid I can’t vouch for it. The one that I use is pretty easy to use. If I can use it, anyone can. If you don’t do Amazon, you may want to look for it in Costco…if you do Costco, that is. And if you do Costco, they also sell/install tires. My mechanic (URL in my previous comment) recommends Costco to poor folks like me. It cost me less than $200 there to get four new Michelin (sp) tires two years ago.
Comment by Garam Chai — December 31, 2005 @ 12:47 am
Costco is pretty politically okay, but DO get new tires. Really. Safety and all that. Washing… I don’t do that, either. Every once in a while the car gets rained on. Good enough. Or in the summer, the kids will want an excuse to play in the water to cool off, so they claim to be washing the car. Not so much.
I know what you mean re: feeling inept and almost too ignorant about cars to even form an intelligent question. I finally found a mechanic who has daughters. He basically didn’t give me a choice. This old guy with no teeth and 1/3 of the education I have was lecturing me about how vulnerable I would be if I got stranded on the side of the road. He made me help him change my tire, when I called him and told him I had a flat in my own driveway. He made me learn how to check the oil. I’m not sure I’ve ever done tire pressure, but the next time I ask him to check he’s going to make me learn. I just have a sinking feeling.
So find an empowering mechanic, maybe. I’d look in a small, privately owned garage or even at a community college type training program.
Comment by Andrea — December 31, 2005 @ 6:54 am
The club will slow someone down, or make them choose another car, but if they want your car, wave by,by.
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yeah, i only listed walmart because it’s easy. i don’t shop there. sorry.
check this site out.
http://www.ford.com/en/innovation/safety/resources/tireSafety.htm
sorry for the long url, but you might give pep boys a call, or drive by there and get a tire pressure gage, and ask how much for tires.
http://pepboys.shoplocal.com/pepboys/store_finder.aspx?action=storefinderentry&DepartmentsFlag=Y&FeatureTypesFlag=Y&OptionID=&address=&city=Los+Angeles&state=CA&zipcode5=90079&zipcodeplus4=&sniffradius=50&clat=0.594284610304069&clong=-2.0636773075581&nlat=0.606911703289856&slat=0.581657517318282&elong=-2.05105021457231&wlong=-2.07630440054389
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800 mile round trip…please get the tires.
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manual for a 1995 model? Should be in the glove compartment. They usually come with a car. If it’s gone, contact the Honda dealer.
Or better yet, contact Honda USA. They might send you one for free.
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As for the gage you selected…anything is better than nothing, most times. However, most small key chain types are junk.
But, better than nothing.
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Costco is a good place to buy tires, and not get ripped off. Course you gotta become a member. 25 bucks a year or so, i think. Might save that much or more by joining, and getting the tires there.
Like everything in life, there are compromises.
http://www.responsibleshopper.org/basic.cfm?cusip=22160K
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Sorry for the long urls. Good Luck.
Comment by woodrow — December 31, 2005 @ 8:37 am
Not to scare you or something but if I was driving up to SFO from LA, I would have my car checked, if it hasn’t been taken care of for quite some time, before embarking on almost a thousand-mile roundtrip. More so when chances of rain in january are good and the speed limits are upward of 65 mph.
Comment by Garam Chai — December 31, 2005 @ 11:36 am
Everyone has given good advice here.
About washing: Do not wash your car with a hose in your driveway. Aside from the water waste, the runoff is loaded with contaminants that have been washed out of the air by rain and sprayed up onto your car from the roadway. That will go directly into storm drains, and in most communities, eventually end up in local lakes and streams. Not washing is probably best for the environment but it will result in damage to your paint and increases the risk of and speed of corrosion. If you choose to do annual maintenance washes, as I do, choose a carwash that collects and filters its runoff, then pipes it into the sewer system for further treatment. Here in WA, Brown Bear is a green option (see http://www.brownbearcarwash.com/environment.php).
When you purchase new tires, as you must to ensure your safety and that of others, consider where your old tires will go. Most shops will take the old ones off your hands for you, but find out what they do with them. Old tires can be shredded to make high school track surfaces, playground surface material, or recycled into flooring for gymns or incorporated into building materials. Make sure they don’t end up in a landfill. Also, to reduce consumption, one should always buy high-mileage tires. A 20,000 tire is a terrible waste when 90,000 varieties are available (though for much more $$). Even if they outlive the lifespan of your car they will be salvaged in a junkyard and used on other vehicles. Start saving up and shop around.
Comment by Wheeledmenace — December 31, 2005 @ 11:39 am
Sorry, 20,000 vs. 90,000. I was talking mileage.
Comment by Wheeledmenace — December 31, 2005 @ 11:41 am
I’ve used The Club ever since I had my car (1996 Honda Accord). It’s never gotten stolen so…
I’ve heard of people being able to pick the locks on The Club, so what’s recommended is to lock The Club on your steering wheel with the keyhole facing the dashboard, not you. This makes it much harder for a thief to pick. It’s a little awkward to reach over and turn the key, but trust me, you get used to it after a few times. Maybe it’s silly, but I feel much safer with The Club on. And no, I don’t work for them. :)
Siel – why don’t you do Amazon? I thought they were okay politically…
Comment by Joe — December 31, 2005 @ 12:07 pm
The three pieces of advice my dad and MBH have ever given me about my car are:
1. Stop immediately if the oil light ever comes on. Add oil and get to a garage immediately
2. Never drive on bad tires
3. Cultivate a good relationship with a local/small shop repairman. This supports a local business AND when you find one you trust and who you give all your custom to (even for oil changes, even if they cost a few buck more) when something major happens, they are more willing to work with you.
The other folks are right about if a thief wants your car, they are going to take your car. But, peace of mind is good for the soul too, so you feel better with a Club, I’d do it.
Please get new tires, bad tires are very dangerous and would hate to have something happen to you.
Comment by breadchick — December 31, 2005 @ 2:44 pm
Ok ok — I’ll get my tires changed ;) Preferably with a high mileage tire at a facility that’s enviro-friendly. Will need to do some research…
I like this finding the local repairperson thing, but how does one go about doing that? Any recommended lil shops? After I find one, I will then worry about the tire gauge thing.
For now, I will continue not washing my car or using a Club — not sure that the Club would provide peace of mind if I already know it won’t deter determined Mut-stealers…
Thanks for the advice everyone! This is really helpfu — I learned a lot!
Comment by Siel — December 31, 2005 @ 4:41 pm
To get an idea of what your options are and about how much tires and installation should cost check out http://www.tirerack.com.
I actually buy my tires from there and then find a local person to install them. It’s usually cheaper (but not always).
Good luck sunshine and be careful.
Comment by ol' dave brown — December 31, 2005 @ 6:53 pm
Hi Siel. Read the DOT (Deapartment of Transportation) sticker on the tire when comparing brands. No wait, always read the DOT sticker on tires. You will see three ratings; Treadwear, Traction, and Temperature. Treadwear is rated 100 to 500 with the higher the number the better. Traction and Temperature is rated A, B, and C. Purchase only A rated tires. IMNSHO, the club will do little to prevent the theft of your car. Do not live in fear. If needed, move away from Hell-A. Utah, I hear, is nice.
Comment by Lloyd — January 1, 2006 @ 1:52 am
I’d say your chances of getting your car stolen with The Club are reduced. If you’re the average car thief, looking for a mid-90s Honda, are you more likely to target the Honda with The Club on, or the Honda right next to it without one?
I established a good relationship with an excellent Honda body shop a long time ago. They’re called Horizon Automotive in Covina, CA. I know that’s going to be too far for most readers here, but just thought I’d let you know. It’s close to my parents’ place which makes it convenient for me.
Comment by Joe — January 1, 2006 @ 9:46 am
I’ve gone mostly (but not completely) carless in LA a few years ago. I use the Metro, Metrolink, and bike. It helps living in downtown LA if you’re using transit, but parking is $90/month if you drive. I don’t drive much, so I used to leave my car parked in residential streets in chinatown and move twice a week for street cleaning. For the past few months, my car has been stored in my sister’s garage near Diamond Bar.
I use the Club when parking on the street for a week at a time. The two times my car has been stolen was in San Francisco without the club. However, my car has been AAA’s most stolen car for the past several years.
When I get my car worked on, I go to an independent Honda mechanic on Santa Monica and Gower, Affordable Care for Your Honda. The guys are really honest and very knowledgable. Otherwise, check out http://cartalk.com/content/mechx/ for other recommended mechanics.
For tires, I go to the bigger places, like Discount Tires or Pep Boys. I’m pretty guilty myself with bald tires. I usually inflate tires about 5 psi higher than recommended because they eventually decrease over time. The higher pressure gets better gas mileage, but loses a little traction.
I only wash a few times a year. That’s the nice part about not having a new car. I normally wipe off bird poop as soon as I see them because I always think that will burn into the paint and I can’t stand looking at it. Two or three dollars at the self-serve car wash places work for me. I do wax the paint once or twice a year, so that keeps everything protected.
Comment by jason — January 1, 2006 @ 10:52 am
As for not having people steal your car, the best advice I have is to use the factory stereo and never leave anything alluring sitting out. If you’ve got a CD player, burn copies of CDs to use in the car (that way, you’re not out the real CDs if someone does break in). If you have a tape adapter to a CD player, make sure you put it all away in the glove box or something before you leave the car.
I parked several different years of Corollas (another popular theft car) in downtown Seattle for years, and I never had a problem. My brothers and I just made sure that we never left anything interesting sitting out whenever we went anywhere.
Washing the car mainly helps protect the paint job, so it is aesthetic. I imagine at some point in time that the bird poop might affect the aerodynamics, but I don’t know how serious that would be.
Checking tire pressure is really easy, and so is changing them. When you go to get your tires replaced, have the guys at the tire store show you how to do it. They should be plenty willing and amenable. I’ve never had anyone at a store say no to my requests for help.
You do want to replace balding tires so you don’t get in an accident when one blows on the freeway. My friend totalled her car that way.
good luck with the car thing. remember, baby steps :-) also, if you’re truly befuddled, go to the library and check out an idiot’s guide to Hondas or something similar. The librarians can point you in the right direction.
Comment by Leah — January 1, 2006 @ 12:30 pm
Also, I’m not afraid to admit I bought “Auto Repair for Dummies.”
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764550896/qid=1136160278/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-2616163-7636769?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Comment by Joe — January 1, 2006 @ 4:06 pm
Ok — So far, I’ve gotten this Dave guy who was trying to sell a 95 Civic manual on Ebay to sell it to me cheaper off-eBay — and Paypaled him the moolah! So it should get to me in a few days, after which I’ll be busy reading –
Lloyd — Have ya BEEN to Utah? :o
Jason — Thanks for the Affordable Care for Your Honda tip. I’ll try them — Should be better for local biz than going to the dealer, I think. And I feel a lot more comfy going somewhere that I’ve gotten a recommendation on.
Leah — Yr so funny with the aerodynamics thing! I’m pretty good about not leaving anything alluring in the car — Maybe that’s why Mut has never been stolen so far. That and perhaps its dirty exterior. The paint’s pretty shot at this point, so protecting it is not an issue.
Wait — Joe — I don’t actually want to REPAIR my car myself — I kinda feel like that’s best left to the professionals, though one day I’d like to learn how to change a tire…
The main issue right now, though, is the whole tire thing, which everyone pretty much seems to agree needs immediate attention. Right now, I’m thinking of calling this Affordable Care place and seeing if they have any locally owned recommendations…
Comment by Siel — January 1, 2006 @ 6:38 pm
your tyres are the only thing in contact with the road…you’d be insane to drive with bald patches. You simply won’t be able to control the car properly in an emergency, which is obviously a very, very bad thing for you and anybody your car happens to be pointing at at the time.
Here in the UK, there are extremely strict rules about tyre wear and minimum tread depth…I’m sure there must be similar laws in the US, and if there aren’t, there really should be.
Get new tyres or don’t drive your car.
Comment by righteye — January 2, 2006 @ 8:05 am
righteye — like I said — I’m gettin’ new tires.
I think we have rules about those in the US (we also spell tires with an i), but I’m not sure what they are… The DMV rules vary by state to state here, and though I’ve stayed in Cali for a while now, I still don’t know what the tire rules are…
Comment by Siel — January 2, 2006 @ 10:27 pm
SO!! With all this talk about bald tires, guess whose tire blew out on the freeway last night?? That’s right, yours truly. Fortunately it wasn’t raining and I was able to control the car enough to get it on the shoulder.
I called Better World Club on my cell and in exactly 30 minutes, the tow truck dude showed up and changed my tire. (I didn’t feel safe changing the tire by myself without any light.) It was my first time actually putting the BWC to the test, and they passed with flying colors.
This morning, I showed my remaining three tires to the mechanic I’ve trusted for a long time now, and he said my threads were definitely showing. So as a result of my letting the tires get old and letting the pressure slide, it blew out. Hope this is enough to encourage the rest of you to check those tires!
Siel – as for the book – being part of the “For Dummies” series, it’s not some hardcore techie manual on car repair. It’s made for people like ourselves to gain basic working knowledge of our cars – like changing tires, checking fluids, etc.
Comment by joe — January 3, 2006 @ 9:55 am
The Californian tyre code is at http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/vctires.htm, but I don’t understand a word of it as its all in inches….
hey, i’m British – we measure in metric and spell tyres with a ‘y’…
Comment by righteye — January 3, 2006 @ 2:44 pm
Right now the whoe tire/tyre thing’s on hold, pending a new window, which should be installed tomorrow. A used/recycled one, no less! Wish me luck :)
Comment by Siel — January 3, 2006 @ 10:39 pm