5 Cold-Weather Car Myths

1) "Will carrying sandbags in your trunk really improve traction?" 

Well, that depends on what you drive. Back in the days when the average car was a front-heavy, rear-drive sedan with marginal bias-ply tires, sure, a hundred pounds of ballast might have made the difference to help you crest that snowy hill. Most cars today are front- or or even all-wheel drive, and even today's big rear-drive iron has a better weight distribution and way better radial all-season tires. Ballast in the trunk will only hinder traction on front-drive cars and is likely to make you oversteer on slippery surfaces. If you must ballast your rear-drive car or truck, add the ballast as far forward as possible; you'll still get the traction but not the extra mass so far back. 

2) "My mom was telling me how everyone at her office goes out at lunch to run their cars for 10 minutes or so, the theory being that if it starts at lunch, it will start after work. True or False? Is this good practice?"
If the car starts in the morning after cold-soaking all night, it certainly should start after 8 hours parked in the office parking lot. If you've got a garage baby that won't start after a day out-of-doors and needs to be started every 4 hours, maybe it's time to change the plugs and get it running right. If you start a cold engine and idle it for 10 minutes every day, you stand the chance of diluting the oil with unburned fuel that never gets a chance to burn off. That could cause premature engine wear--not to mention needlessly burning up some expensive gasoline. 

3) "I don't know if it's because "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong" but why do so many batteries die during the winter? I know a few people that have had car batteries die, two of them because the cables came loose. Is this just a coincidence or is it a result of the cold?"
Winter is tough on batteries, for two main reasons. The engines are far harder to turn over because all the oil inside them has turned to molasses. This demands much more current from a battery, and to add insult to injury, that battery cannot produce its normal amount of energy because of the cold. The chemical reactions that generate electricity are slower at a lower temperatures. Your point about cables loosening is partially related. The huge current demands of the starter motor--200 to 400 amps--can cause the battery clamps to heat up if the connection at the clamp to post isn't perfect. When the car starts, the connection will cool off. And that leaves a poor connection. And a poor connection can prevent the battery from getting fully charged. A discharged battery, unlike one that's fully charged, can freeze, damaging it internally. 

That said, while more cars won't start on cold winter mornings, more batteries actually fail during the summer months, when intense heat cooks out the electrolyte, boiling the battery dry. 

4) "I noticed that after a few days of heavy snow, the wiper squirters stopped working. I thought it was because they had frozen. My aunt says it's because of sediment in the tank that clogged it. What's the likely cause, and how do you prevent it?" 
The washer nozzles would freeze right away, not after a few days of subzero temps. And the sediment your aunt is sure is in the reservoir would clog up the nozzles regardless of the temperature. It's probably snowmelt reflux. Normally, there's a check valve in the washer-nozzle line to keep that blue fluid (actually just alcohol and some dye) in the lines after you stop washing the windscreen. If the check valve goes bad, the fluid will run back into the reservoir when you stop running the pump. And it can suck melted snow or ice back into the nozzle. Replacing the check valve usually fixes this. 

5) "When it's really cold, the windshield wipers accumulate ice no matter how well I scrape them and even when I have the heat on high, blasting the windshield. In the middle of my commute, the wipers will start streaking, greatly reducing visibility. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Additives to my fluid? Special wiper blades?" 
Extreme weather can overpower the freezing point of the washer fluid, turning it to slush on your windshield. So, the most important thing is to keep the windshield as warm as possible by turning the defroster on to the warmest temperature setting and highest fan speed. Fresh wiper blades might help, or at least try cleaning the blades that you have of accumulated road film by wiping them with mineral spirits and a paper towel. Treating the windshield with Rain-X will leave less washer fluid on the glass to freeze. As a last resort, use methyl alcohol instead of washer fluid in the tank. Washer fluid is already 40 percent methyl alcohol and 60 percent water. If you increase the concentration of alcohol, it will depress the freezing point. You can buy methyl alcohol in the paint department of the hardware store, or sometimes you can find it in the housewares section of a big-box store, labeled as fuel for chafing dishes. Just pour it into the washer reservoir.

Enemy To Fashion imagines what Chevy Spark would look like as an army vehicle

In all the talk of the zombie apocalypse, there's been little discussion of how the undead are going to provide music for their election rallies and beachfront luaus. We can't be sure since we hardly know anything about it, but the Chevrolet Spark prepared by Enemy to Fashion for SEMA could be the answer.

Completely reskineed, re-interiored and barred up and braced for collisions, the "modern tactical vehicle" at first looks all Def-Con 5. The company's press release says it has "paid as much attention to the tactical experience as it has to the design aesthetic," but look a little closer and you'll see the roof is home to a lot of less-than-tactical speakers. We're going to guess it's so the last living DJ can ply his trade without getting eaten, but we'll know more when we see it at SEMA this week.

How to Care for Your Car in Cold Weather

The leaves are falling, the air is crisp, and pretty soon old man winter will set up shop for his favorite time of year. As you stock up on firewood, tack on the storm doors, and tune up the piano for family holiday gatherings, don't forget to take similar steps to prep your car for the busy and blustery months ahead.

While this may include stocking the family car with holiday CDs, I'm actually referring to your winter car care routine. When temperatures plunge, and snowy, wet conditions rule the road, every part of your car has to work harder to perform at its best. Before Jack Frost's first nip at your nose, here's a quick "to do" list to help your car weather the winter weather.

Tire Tips
Family responsibilities and holiday preparations can keep you in perpetual motion this time of year. Whether it's trips to the airport or shopping excursions to find that perfect gift, a good set of tires is essential to safe winter driving. Make sure your tires are properly rotated and aligned, and also check tire tread - tires should not be worn down to less than 2/32 of an inch for normal tires and 5/32 of an inch for snow tires.

An easy way to check is to take a Lincoln-head penny and insert it head first into the most worn part of your tire tread. If you can see Abe's head, he may be telling you to get a new set of tires. If so, consider buying a set of all-season tires with a traction rating of A (the highest rating) versus B or C, to better grip the road in snowy conditions.

Cooling System Checklist
When the white stuff hits, make sure you have plenty of the green stuff — antifreeze. Antifreeze can be one of the trickiest parts of your winterizing routine because, even though it has a strong green color, the additives could be worn out. This can cause the inside of your radiator to rust and if you are the type who "just adds water" when the level is down, your antifreeze mixture may have lost its ability to withstand freezing temperatures. You may have worthless green gunk under the hood!

A good rule of thumb is to replace your antifreeze every two years. If you're not sure when your antifreeze was last changed, you can easily check its endurance and freeze point with an antifreeze tester (they cost less than five dollars at any auto parts store). But if you're not a do-it-yourselfer, have it checked at a quick oil change or other service provider. They have more accurate and reliable testers.

When it is time to replace your antifreeze, look for a product that prevents cold weather freeze-ups at temperatures well below -30 degrees Fahrenheit, like Zerex® 5/100 Antifreeze Coolant, or, if you're currently using an orange coolant (recommended for most newer model GM vehicles) use Zerex* Extreme TM Life 5/150 Antifreeze Coolant. Remember that antifreeze needs to be diluted with water in a 50-50 mixture, or you could opt for a pre-mixed solution, like Zerex® Ready to Use Antifreeze Coolant.

To round out your cooling system checklist, make sure that water
pumps and thermostats work, check radiators and hoses for cracks and leaks, replace the radiator cap, and test heaters and defrosters for proper operation.

Oil To-Dos

Another way to help your car endure three months of cold starts in sub-zero temperatures is to change your oil grade. Check your owner's manual and use the lowest recommended grade for the best all-weather protection, fuel efficiency, and energy conservation. For most passenger cars the proper grade is 5W-30 and for the newest model Ford vehicles, 5W-20.

You also might want to consider adding a synthetic blend motor oil to your vehicle this winter. Synthetic oils make starting a cold engine easy. They resist build up of cold temperature sludge, helping your engine run better and longer, even in the most arctic-like weather.

Battery Basics
No one wants to cap a weekend spent skiing on the slopes by waiting for a tow in two feet of snow. You can help prevent unwelcome disasters by making sure your battery is up for the cold weather challenge. Make sure terminals are clean and tightened — you may even want to clean around terminals with an old toothbrush and a homemade mixture of baking soda and water.

Keep in mind that you should replace your battery every three to four years, but if you suspect your battery won't survive the season, have a trained technician check it out. If it is time to shop for a replacement battery, look for a model that offers more starting power, higher cold cranking amps, and reserve capacity to provide electrical energy when the engine isn't running.

Seasonal breakdowns and costly repairs can really put a damper on "the season of good cheer," so take time now to ensure your vehicle is in top condition, and be prepared for emergency situations. Before you go dashing through the snow, stock your trunk with, jumper cables, rock salt (to melt ice), an ice scraper, a can of tire inflator and a blanket. Keep your mobile phone charged and at hand. This way, at least your car won't be the source of any holiday headaches.

By Dr. Fran Lockwood

Five Tips That Can Save New Car Buyers a Bundle

For many Americans, buying a new car is a stressful experience, and consumers are right to feel that way: The process is expressly designed by car dealers to separate you from as much of your money as possible. And if you don't follow several basic rules, they'll succeed in taking you to the cleaners.

True, there are exceptions to the rule -- those rare dealerships that don't pressure their customers or manipulate the car buying process to get the maximum possible profit from every sale. But you shouldn't plan on being lucky. Instead, be prepared.

The car buying process is one of the most hardball consumer experiences in the United States, hence the sooner you recognize it, the more likely you'll buy a new car for a reasonable price -- not what the dealer wants you to pay. 

The keys to getting a fair price are patience, preparation and perseverance. 

1. Be Patient. If you are patient, you're more likely to buy a car for a fair price. This is the most important rule of new car buying, but it's amazing how many adults fail to obey this golden rule. Conversely, if you are not patient, the dealer will win. 

Being patient, though, doesn't mean waiting to buy a new car until your used car no longer functions and you desperately need transportation. Better to buy a new car when you don't need one immediately, so you have the freedom to walk away from the dealer's first, second, and even third offers. Negotiate from strength. 

2. Know the Right Months. In the new car business, dealer showroom traffic varies seasonally. All other factors being equal, you want to be negotiating for your new car when showroom traffic is low. For this reason, the Christmas shopping period is an excellent time to scout new cars. 

If your first response to that idea was "I wouldn't want to look for a new car when I also have to shop for presents, make the rounds of holiday parties, etc.," you've hit on precisely the reason it's such a good time to hit the dealerships. Auto dealers can't stand the period from Thanksgiving to Christmas, when their showrooms tend to get very quiet. Late September is perhaps the second best time start looking for a new car: New model year vehicles arrive, increasing dealer inventories at the same moment as they're hit with a traffic lull from Americans returning to work and school. Dealers are more likely to lower their prices during these periods to generate sales than during high-traffic periods. 

In the northern parts of the country, late January is the third best time to car shop. It's the dead of winter, and many Americans considering buying a new car will put off the decision because they are weighed down with winter sluggishness and winter heating bills. That makes it a smart time to visit Mr. Lonely Car Salesman.

3. Know the Right Weeks. Don't set a foot on a dealer lot until the third week of the month. Most auto salespeople make most of their pay from commissions. Hence, early in the month many "go for the jugular" -- play hardball on the price at the risk of losing the sale -- knowing that if they blow three or four leads by being too aggressive, they can make up for it in the second half of the month. You don't want to be there for the aggressive period. You want the lonely, desperate-for-a-few-more-sales-to-have-a-decent-month auto salesperson. Also, never visit a dealership on a Saturday. That's normally a high traffic day of the week.

4. Pay Cash. Obviously, this isn't possible for all prospective car buyers: Financing for 48 months or 60 months often is a necessity. But cash rules. If you can skip the loan, your negotiating power increases substantially. 


Here's a hypothetical example: You're evaluating a 2011 Ford Fusion (non-hybrid edition) (F) on the dealer's lot with a manufacturers' suggested retail price of $26,895. You tell the salesperson on your second visit that you're prepaid to write out a check for $17,000. 

The salesperson's likely response will be something on the order of: "You're crazy. You're nuts. What are you talking about? That wouldn't even cover our costs."

At that point, leave your card with a number for him to call you the next day if he reconsiders, and leave. 

If that salesperson doesn't call back, start reviewing cars at another dealership in the area. 

Odds are, however, that salesperson -- the one who a day earlier implied that you needed psychiatric help -- will call you back, at which point you can start negotiating from your $17,000 cash base. You're much more likely to get that Fusion for $20,000 -- or even less -- by paying cash. 

Similarly, the larger your down payment, the stronger your leverage with regard to financing. If, after suggesting a $10,000 deposit on the 2011 Ford Fusion, the dealer offers a financing rate that is high, again, leave your card and number, and move on to the next dealer. Odds are, you'll eventually get a more reasonable auto loan, even if the first dealer doesn't call you back.

5. Be Prepared to Walk Away at Least Twice. Here again, you have to exercise your "no" muscle. The salesperson will tell you: "This is our final offer, our best offer," or "It's as low as we can go, we're losing money on the deal." But know that when they says this, there are one or two lower offers below it. Never accept a salesperson's first or second offer. After you reject the first, the dealership invariably will call you back. If it doesn't, as noted before, move on to the next one. If you don't haggle and negotiate, you're playing in to the dealer's hand.

You're in the Driver's Seat

There are exceptions to the above rules. Vehicles that are in high-demand -- including luxury cars, sports cars, hybrids, and trendy vehicles -- tip some of the power back toward the dealership. Don't expect to negotiate a low or even fair price for a Toyota Prius or a Chevrolet Corvette. But those vehicles are the exceptions. 

The new car buying process is harsh, and a stamina test. It's designed to wear you down, get you to panic, and give in to the dealer on price. But for the most part, if you shop with patience, preparation, and perseverance, you can beat the dealership at its own game.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/01/five-tips-for-new-car-buyers/
By Joseph Lazzaro

NEW 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe 2LS

The features and options listed are for a New 2013 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe 2LS and may not apply to this specific vehicle.

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• Price
• $25,655

• exterior: Gxh Blue Ray
• engine: 3.6L 6 cyl Fuel Injection
• model code: 1EN37
• msrp: Contact Us
• stock number: D9127579
• transmission: Automatic
• vin: 2G1FA1E36D9127579

• • City (MPG)18
  • Hwy (MPG) *27
• Actual Mileage Will Vary

Car Maintenance Mistakes

Compared to the family trucksters of a generation ago, modern cars require about as much maintenance as a toaster. This is a real liberation from the oil, lube and tune merry-go-round that ruled not so long ago.

Curiously, many people haven't adjusted their thinking to keep pace with new car maintenance schedules. The preoccupied still run their daily drivers without service until the dash warning lights burn out, while over-achievers fret about running synthetic oil more than 2,500 miles without a change.

Although maintenance intervals are now more widely spaced, even the newest cars require scheduled service to live long, productive lives. Whether yours is the latest model or you paid it off years ago, the trick is giving your car the maintenance it was designed to receive.

Surprisingly, the answer to what maintenance is required is hiding no farther away than the glove box. Every car is supplied with a maintenance schedule — in the owner's manual or in a separate maintenance log book — that details that vehicle's needs.

Proper Tire Inflation and Rotation

Tires leak naturally and need the occasional check. Figuratively speaking, underinflated tires suck up gasoline. Under- or overinflated tires wear out sooner, and deliver the same emergency maneuver handling as marshmallows. You probably aren't going to check tire pressures monthly, but how about twice a year?

Furthermore, front and rear tires wear differently and should be rotated to even that wear. Your owner's manual will have a recommendation on both pressure and rotation periods.

Wiper Tales

Here's a news flash: It's much easier to avoid hitting things you can see. Simple as it is, that's the concept behind replacing your windshield wipers before they fossilize into noisy uselessness.

Fall is the ideal wiper replacement time: after the blade-baking summer and before the fall and winter nastiness. Depending on location, wiper replacement may be an annual affair in the Southwest to a biannual chore in northern climes.

Tune-Up Anachronism

There are no more "tune-ups." Valves no longer need adjusting, ignition timing is computer controlled and there are no carburetors to fiddle with. About all that's left of the old tune-up drill are the spark plugs. These are often good for 100,000 miles, so don't change parts just to change parts. Instead, save up for those big 60,000- and 120,000-mile services when the timing belt, spark plug wires and coolant are due for replacement.

Oil Change Timing

Oil changes every 3,000 miles used to be required jobs, just like cleaning the accumulated fuzz from record player needles or defrosting freezers. Today, advances in engine design and lubricants make oil changes something to be done when the schedule calls for it, not when granddad says it's time. Some cars call for 5,000-mile change intervals, some up to 15,000-mile stints. Others have a variable timer. Follow the schedule and use the oil called for by the manufacturer.

Tired Tires

Tires wear out, but they also time out. The tire industry says tires are toast after five years, but they're selling tires. It all depends on heat, sunlight and ozone conditions. There's little argument from any pundits that after seven years those black donuts are dried and better off holding down a farmer's tarp than carrying your family around. If you're not sure how old your tires are, a tire shop can read the date code stamped into the sidewall.

Ignoring Your Brakes

Note to the Wandering Unconscious: If you notice anything different about your brakes — sound, feel or response — they are telling you to visit a mechanic. Now.

Small Cars Are Getting Safer

You don't have to look too far into the past to find a time when automakers didn't see car safety as a "selling point But over the last 30 years, car safety has become a prime factor in the minds of car buyers. So, automakers responded -- and as a result, cars and trucks are much safer today than they were 30, 20, even 10 years ago.
One car segment that has especially benefited from this overall improvement in safety is the sub-compact category. And it's a good thing, too, because as gas prices have soared in the last two years, more buyers are turning away from big trucks, monster SUVs and gas-thirsty muscle cars in favor of smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Indeed, the small-car category is the fastest-growing segment in the U.S auto industry, with sales increasing by 12 percent this year, and everyone expects that growth to continue as long as gas prices keep rising -- or even if they just hold steady and don't drop. That's why many automakers have even more sub-compact models in their product pipelines.
So, as Americans' buying preferences have shifted to smaller vehicles, the old debate about the safety of small cars has ignited anew. Some drivers who've been in an SUV for the last six years have been apprehensive about not being surrounded by a massive steel structure and a few dozen feet of sheet metal.
But those who have been forced to "go small" for economic reasons can take comfort in the fact that small cars are much safer today than they were just a decade ago.
According to the most recent available data released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the death rate in the smallest cars on the road has dropped to 106 per million registered vehicles, a significant drop from the 165 per million in 1996.
And today, 14 of the 17 top-selling small cars receive good frontal crash test ratings from IIHS, says Adrian Lund, IIHS president. A decade ago, none did. "That's obviously a huge improvement," stresses Lund
"Small cars are indeed much safer now than they were just a decade ago," says Lund.
The IIHS is a non-profit group, funded by auto insurers, that conducts research on "how to prevent damage and injuries and deaths" in auto accidents, says Lund.
"There have been many new technological developments over the last 10 years, and all small cars now have front air bags, many of them have side air bags with head prevention, and many are getting electronic stability control," Lund continues.
"Plus, due to the crash testing conducted by us and by the National Highway Transportation & Safety Administration (NHTSA -- a division of the Department of Transportation), many of the automakers have improved the structural design of the passenger compartment -- which means there is less 'intrusion' into the compartment than there used to be if a crash occurs."
Above are six of the safest small cars on the road, according to NHTSA, which gave all six a frontal-crash-test rating of five stars, the organization's highest rating.
Ford's small-car entry, the Focus, followed right behind these models, as far as NHTSA is concerned, with a four-star frontal-crash-test rating.
IIHS uses a different system of rating vehicles' crash-test results than NHTSA. And to illustrate the improvement in small-car safety, IIHS compared some current models to older models from the same carmaker. The current Chevy Cobalt, for example, got a "good" overall frontal-crash test rating from IIHS -- the organization's highest rating. Comparatively, the old Chevy Cavalier, which was produced from 1995 - 2005, received a "poor" overall frontal-crash rating.
"The overall frontal rating," explains IIHS spokesman Russ Rader, "is based on the individual scores for each of the parameters we measure in the test -- such as the performance of the vehicle's structure; injury measures to the head, neck, chest, legs and feet, and the dummy's movement during the test."
Meanwhile, the old Dodge Neon (1995-'99) received a "poor" overall frontal rating, while its replacement, the current Dodge Caliber, scores a "good" rating from IIHS.
And according to IIHS results, the Ford Focus's frontal-offset crash-test results have remained steady -- it received a "good" rating in that category from 2000-'08, although its 2000-'07 models received a "poor" rating when it came to side-impact tests when tested without the optional side airbags.
One car company that has emphasized the safety of small cars in recent years is Honda, which launched its "safety for everyone" initiative in 2003. As part of this initiative, the company announced the development of Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which bolstered occupant protection.
"The 2009 Fit will be the latest small model to get ACE when it goes on sale in the next couple of months," says company spokesman Chris Martin. "With the intro of the new Fit, over 94% of Honda's sold in the U.S. will have the Advanced Compatibility Engineering technology."
A couple of years ago, automakers also adopted an initiative that will improve the safety for small-car drivers by agreeing to build trucks and SUVs with lower front ends.
"This should address the incompatibility between cars and trucks, says Lund. "Trucks have always ridden higher than cars -- which makes them inherently more dangerous to drivers of smaller cars in the event of an accident. So, by next year, we'll be seeing light trucks with lower structures," says Lund.
"In the event of an accident, that means that the front end of the truck will hit the bumper or door sill of the car, instead of hitting the car higher up, like in the passenger compartment, which in the past, has made drivers of small cars much more vulnerable to injury."
But, even though small cars have made big safety gains, it is true that big vehicles are still safer than small ones.
"The the risk of dying in the smallest car, compared to the largest car, is still 2-to-1," says Lund. "But, now that people are being forced to make the switch to smaller vehicles due to economic considerations, with fuel prices being so high, it's a comfort for them to know that the smallest cars are so much safer than they were 10 years ago."
The current trend toward buying smaller vehicles also prompts Lund to point out that, "if you do want or need to go with a smaller car, it is important to pay attention to its crash-test ratings."