Short and sweet, I just went 19,300 miles on my last oil change in my 1997 Lexus LS 400 with 180,000 miles.  About a year’s worth of driving for me.  The car is doing great, and I want to keep it that way.  Catastrophic damage can occur from lubrication failure due to oil breakdown or loss of oil from dissipation or consumption.  So, the two important factors to consider are timing, and oil grade.  And, they each influence the other.

Oil formulation and wear is a science in and of itself (refer to my previous article How Often Should I Change My Oil?).  Not all oils are the same, and not all synthetic oils are the same.  I am not an expert on which is which.  But what I do know is that I trust Mobile 1 to take me 15,000 to 20,000 miles between changes.  Simple is better for me.

Funny thing is, I still know a few people who like to spend their oil change money every 3,000 miles; must be therapeutic or something

Happy Driving!

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You may drive a crappy Ford Pinto, but with the VroomBox you can make it roar like a Shelby Mustang!

 
It would be hilarious to see some of the reactions of other drivers along side you, when you’re waiting for the lights to turn green and going nuts with it, whilst driving the biggest piece of junk you can imagine.

Not really an investment you would like to make for a junk ride, but still…when you picture it, it does sound like you could get a lot of laughs with the VroomBox…of course from other drivers included!

Check out the site of the manufacturer if you would like to know more about the available engine sounds and for more product information and order details.

CustomRides.com wishes you a Happy Halloween!

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Again they’re making the impossible…possible, turning scraps into gems.

They’ve proved themselves already in the first Chop Series and they’re not ready to stop anytime soon, they’re moved out of their first workshop to a new and improved workshop to work together with their awesome team members to continue working their magic.

Meet The Rest Of The Chop Shop Crew:

From left to right:

Julian Gudgeon: Panel beater, welder, fabricator and general Jack-of-all-trades mechanic.
Terry Hodges: Chop Shop’s welder, and at 21 years of age, the youngest crew member.
Shaun McNamee: Body fitter and new arrival in the Chop Shop for 2008.
Lee Taylor: New Chop Shop mechanic Lee Taylor is a Ford fanatic through and through.
Artur Lachmacki: New crew member Artur has been in the trade for over 10 years

Leepu and Bernie with the rest of the Chop Shop team already have done some nice work in the second series, turning a old Saab 900 Turbo into a Gangster Car for ex Spandau ballet bassist Martin Kemp.

We’ve put together some before and after action on the Gangsta car and the Muscle car, we hope you like it!

Check Out The Before And After Montage

Of course viewing the actual episodes on television gives you a much better viewing experience, so be sure to check it out on Discovery Channel when you get the chance.

Some Specs On Both Rides:

Gangsta Car:

Engine: 2.3 Litre twin cam (automatic)
Exhaust: Custom made
Induction: Custom intercooler and piping and dump valve
ECU: Stock
Suspension: Custom made and modified
Brakes: Heavy duty front and rear pads
Wheels: Wolfrace Imperial custom
Bodywork: Pearl metallic grey, split rear screen, custom made body with 0.8 gauge cold rolled steel
Other mods: Custom interior and carpets, handmade rollbar, keyless entry, custom made dashboard, custom front lights and grille, custom Corbeau seats and belts

So What’s More On The Menu?

The Chop Shop crew is turning a scrapped 20-year-old Ford Capri into a Muscle Car for Lawrence Dallaglio by cramming in a 3.5 litre V8 engine and performing some carefully thought out chopping and metal bashing.

Muscle Car:

Engine: Rover V8 chrome detailed, TVR gearbox, custom radiator and fuel tank
Exhaust: Custom manifolds and twin pipe outlets
Induction: Webber 500 CFM carburettor, Offenhauser manifold, chrome air filter housing
Suspension: GAZ coil over front/rear
Brakes: Hi-spec cross drilled discs
Wheels: Custom split rim/chrome and black painted
Bodywork: Fully modified 0.8 gauge cold rolled steel, hi-gloss black, candy gold stripes
Other mods: Custom made dash and hi-spec dials, custom Corbeau seats and belts, vario-tinted glass, keyless entry, custom horns, handmade wiring loom

The Chop Shop also has some other projects lined up, it’s absolutely worth checking out. The Custom Rides team is definitely impressed by their work and we hope to continue see a lot more of them.

What do you think of the above Chop Shop team creations? — Let us know in the comment section.

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I figured that with good user reviews and a good return policy offered by JC Whitney, I had little-to-no risk on the downside, and hopefully some benefit on the upside.  So I laid down my credit card info and clicked Submit.  That was on a Tuesday.  Living in Texas, I expected delivery the following week for free ground shipping, but was pleasantly surprised when FedEx dropped it off on Saturday.  (As an aside, I am glad I purchased the Tornado before doing too much research on it; there are a lot of negative comments on it that might have dissuaded me - funny though that many of them were by people who had never tried it but made excuses on scientific conjecture for which they were not qualified).

Upon opening the shipping box that contained several items, I looked for a large box inside that would hold a tube like the one I saw in the picture on the website.

Instead there was only a small box; it said TORNADO on it, and contained what looked like a cookie cutter.  At first I was a little disappointed that I paid more than $60 bucks for about $2 worth of metal.  But I decided to give it a try anyway since I considered that I was really purchasing the benefit of the product and not just the product itself.

A gas saver that would provide me the best gas mileage for my buck, an increase in gas mileage per gallon can of course result in substantial savings over the course of a year.

Sunday I installed it in my Lexus before driving to Arkansas.  My car is a 1997 Lexus LS 400 with 171k miles.  It has 4 doors and a 4.0 litre V8.  Driving about 700 highway miles each week, fuel economy is very important to me. So having the ability to improve my fuel economy sounded very appealing to me, Assuming 24 mpg and the price of $3.25 for regular unleaded, we’re talking a little over $100/wk in fuel costs.  Multiply that times 52 weeks ($5,200/yr).

After filling up in Calera Oklahoma for $2.99 a gallon, I cruised across all of Oklahoma at 73 miles per hour and into Arkansas.  As soon as I arrived in Rogers, I fueled up at Wal-Mart’s Murphy fuel station and calculated my gas mileage.  It was 28.89 mpg!  The previous tank’s mpg was 24.67 which is just on the high side of average.  On a few occasions (before the Tornado) I have gotten as high as 25.80 mpg, and only once have I ever gotten as high as 26.27.  But 24 to 24.5 had been average.

First I calculate the increase above the average: 28.29-24.67=4.22.  Next, divide the amount of the increase by the average: 4.22/24.67=17.106%.  This was on my first tank using the Tornado Fuel Saver - 254.1 miles.  Another important note is that I had an unusually strong crosswind and headwind.  By “unusually” I mean that the prevailing surface winds are from the south at about 10 miles per hour.  However for this drive, the winds were 20mph+ sustained from the east.  And I was heading north and east for my entire trip.  Typically my mileage is worse when heading into the wind, and better when traveling with it.

From a savings standpoint, if I can save 17% off of my $5,200/yr calculated fuel cost, that is $884.00 per year.  To me, the sooner I invest my $65 the better!

I can’t think of a more cost effective way how to get a better gas mileage, installing the tornado air system definitely improves my overall bottom line.

As I mentioned, I am a skeptic regarding products claiming “fuel savings”.  And even though I was happily proven wrong this time, I shall continue to be very scrutinous of such claims.  On the other hand, I have learned you can’t always believe all the other skeptics either.  If I had made my decision based upon a review I read by one of the major mainstream media networks, I would have missed out on this one.

In regards to the advertised increase in performance power, I cannot testify.  My car is already very powerful, and I did not “get down on it” during my inaugural voyage.

Next on my review list is to purchase another Tornado fuel saver - this time for my 2000 Ford Excursion with a V10 Triton gasoline engine.  The reason I chose to try it on the Lexus first is because the car is more consistent in its fuel mileage with a narrower range of variation.  The Excursion usually gets 11.1 mpg, but is recently getting 10.5 mpg.  Hopefully I will be reporting another success story soon.

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Visit JC Whitney’s Product Page For The Tornado Fuel Saver To Find Out More About Pricing and Order Details.
 

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By the way, as of the writing of this article I have used only one tank of gas and have calculated my mileage only once.  Going forward I will check in periodically with updates of my continued results.

- Michael

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A colleague of mine tells me his wife says there is no gas to be found in their area in North Carolina.  What?!  Getting lower in price for some while not available to others…

Well, if you are looking for all the answers about why the price of gas goes up and down every time the weather changes or violence is reported or the mortgage crisis peaks or Britney Spears gets in trouble, then you came to the right place!  That is because misery loves company, and you are in good company with all of us other folks who just don’t get it.

Though not an expert in detailed market economics, I am no dummy either.  So, I do a little studying and listening to the explanations of the “experts” on the news.  Finally I have come to some conclusions: 1) The answer is complex; 2) The situation is complicated; 3) Nobody really knows or understands how it works or what is really going on; 4) and If they do, they are lying or not telling the truth.

If there really is a simple answer, then it should be presented simply.

Here is what I do know…

- Gasoline was about $2.20/gallon a year ago, now it is over $3.45/gal average.
- Wars and rumors of war increase the price of oil.
- Hurricanes and rumors of hurricanes increase the price of oil.
- Increases in the price of oil increase the price of gasoline.
- The price of oil rose by over 50% from less than $100/barrel to $150/barrel this year.
- The price of oil rose fell by 33% when it dropped from $150 to back below $100.
- The price of gas dropped due to decrease in consumption due to record prices.
- The CEO of Royal Dutch Shell said last year that there is no shortage of oil in the earth.
- The US is reported to have vast oil reservoirs in ANWR and offshore but the government has placed them off limits at the insistence of environmentalists and special interest groups to our nation’s peril.
- OPEC said they are planning to decrease production in order to keep the price of oil from declining any further.
- Georgia (the country recently invaded by Russia) has the major pipeline that supplies oil to Europe.

All the above points are absolute facts!  But, facts should not be confused with the truth.  And the truth is that no one really knows the true truth.

So now that I have shared with you my own personal pain at the pump, I say that America [and the world] has become too dependent on foreign oil.  For reasons of economics, national security, and the environment, it is time to progress in going green.

No, I am not trading in my v10 Excursion or my 8.2 litre turbo diesel school bus, at least not yet.  But I am consciously making an effort to educate myself and operate with more energy efficiency.  In fact, I have a set of fan blades in my shed for my 16′ diameter windmill project (in line with many other projects).

Speaking of windmills, I leave you with this… it is not the end all solution, but is a step along the way.  Maybe a painful step.  But, a step nevertheless.  And if you decide to have a good attitude on this journey, it might just put a smile on your face like it did mine.

Cheers!
Michael

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A couple of minutes later I stepped out the meeting room again to take her next call.  In a less than calm tone she conveyed that she just had a blow out.  I waited for the bad news (I mean the really bad news), but it never came.  She did not roll the vehicle full of kids.  And I was relieved that at that very moment a Texas State Trooper was pulling up behind her and telling her to get over to the right and off the road.

Since we had a spare in the vehicle, the Sherrif’s Courtesy Patrol was able to quickly change the “flat” and get her back on the road.  I use the term flat loosely because the tire looked more like spaghetti than a tire.

I try to pay attention to my vehicles continually.  Only 5 days ago my regular inspection found the rear tires to be in satisfactory shape - good for another couple months until I purchased new ones. 
 
 
But the tire did not agree.  This reinforces the importance of being prepared for the unexpected.
 
 
Check your tires regularly…

■ Air pressure
■ Tread depth
■ Tread ware patterns
■ Sidewalls
■ Feel of the steering wheel for tire balancing

And get them balanced and rotated routinely - some tire stores recommend every 7k to 10k miles.  Your tire professionals will also tell you whether your vehicle needs an alignment.  These considerations are paramount to the safety of you and your passengers, as well as for economic reasons.

I am planning to go to Discount Tire to replace the rear Dominators with BF Goodrich All Terrains.  The A/Ts are wonderful tires in my opinion and experience - for both onroad, and off.  Many times I go to Sam’s Club to get tires, but Discount has the A/Ts in stock, and Sam’s doesn’t.

The tire guy reviewed a few factors that can cause such a blowout as this.  Other than manufacturer defect or hitting some serious road debris, the thing that stuck out was the tire’s age along with the possibility of prolonged parking.  If the tire is set in one position for a long time (months? years?), the belts can warp or bend to some degree. 
 
 
Then they cannot handle the stress of flex and ultimately weaken and break.

The fact is that we recently purchased this 2000 Ford Excursion to replace our foundering 1999 Chevy Suburban.  As it goes with used cars purchased from a dealership, you usually don’t know anything about the previous owner or how he treated the vehicle.  That is to say that there is the possibility that the vehicle sat somewhere for a long time.

Looking at the date stamps on the tires, I saw 3107 on the front (31st week of the year 2007), and 2404 on the rear - meaning it was 4 years old and still not completely worn out.  Also, I have been advised to check out the dates on even new tires.  Seems there were recent news reports of tires being installed that had sat in warehouses for many years, and then failing on the vehicles.

Books can be written about tires - and have been - but my goal was to share with you my recent personal experience along with some tire-food-for-thought.

Happy Trails,
Michael

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The 1967 F Body is distinguished by the front vertical vent windows. This first generation of the F Body was used by the Camaro and the Firebird for 1967, 1968, and 1969. Chad’s ‘67 is mostly stock, and is shod with the factory Rally wheels.

Black with silver stripes, she is a real eye-catcher and draws lots of compliments at intersections (the original color was turquoise). Licensed as a “classic” in the state of Texas, Chad uses her in a limited fashion for weekend cruising and visiting with other car enthusiasts at the world-famous Keller’s Hamburgers drive-in in Dallas.

He has kept modifications to a minimum; they include to replacing the front drum brakes with factory-spec disc brakes. One out of the outcomes was the rubbing of the front tires. This challenge required him to replace the spindles, but with a little more problem-solving, Chad overcame the situation without losing too much ground clearance.

No radio or stereo. But there are sweet sounds emanating from under the hood.

The engine is a 1968 model 327 c.i V8 with double hump heads; that means they provide higher compression and have larger valves. It feels good when you push the accelerator, but the joy is tempered by the pain at the pump, with only 13 miles per gallon. Chad plans to swap out the Edelbrock carburetor for a Holly, and replace the old points distributor with an HEI.
A Turbo 350 has taken the place of the original 2-speed Powerglide transmission.

On the inside, Chad has plans for redoing the headliner and the carpet.
She was purchased a few years ago for about $15,000, and Chad invested another $5,000 to get her into shape. Having worked on his own cars in high school, Chad is glad that this time around, “somebody else did most of the work.”
Back in the day, Chad had a 1973 Pontiac Grand Am. Back then they were bigger than the models of this century.

Thus, GM put a 455 cubic inch engine in them. Like the cars of the guys that Chad hung around with, the engine in his own ride was also a little enhanced. As such, the Grand Am saw a little racing action. Gas was relatively cheap, and cars were big, and fast.
When asked what car he would choose if he could have anything, Chad says “A ’67 Camaro - the one I already have – and pass it on to my son or daughter.”

More pictures of Chad’s Chevrolet Camaro RS:

The CustomRides.com team would like to give Chad a big Thank You for sharing his custom ride and wishes him all the best!

Tell us about your custom rides. When you would like to submit a story on your ride check out the questions we would like you to address, that allows us to create a detailed article on your ride, we would appreciate it if you could share as much as possible.

We’re looking forward to your submission!

- Michael

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On a recent cross-country trip, we encountered extreme overheating out on the open road. A quick trip to the auto parts store, or a planned visit to the mechanic, were not options. Our family holiday weekend was in jeopardy. What to do?

Like a good boy, I had checked the oil and topped off the radiator the night before. So why, 45 miles later was the Beast chugging and lurching and about to sputter to a stop? I had just enough momentum to pull off the interstate and coast into the rest stop. The needle on the temperature gauge has gone off the scale, and an indicator in the instrument panel said “check gages”. There was no steam and no water leaking, but there was heat - lots of it. Though it was only May, summer was in full swing under the hood - it felt like an oven!

The radiator and the entire cooling system was dry. So where did all the coolant go?

The first step in remediation is to refill the system with liquid. But without proper diagnosis of the problem and correction, the trouble was sure to repeat itself. With family members using a half dozen water bottles to shuttle water from the rest room, it took about an hour, which gave me plenty of time to ponder the situation.

During that time, scalding hot steam greeted me every time I poured another bottle in. I have always heard that you should never add water/coolant to a hot vehicle unless the engine is running, lest the cool meet the hot and crack the engine block. That makes sense to a degree, except, I reasoned, that the temperature change in the mass of a 454 engine resulting from a bottle of water would not occur rapidly enough to damage the engine.

Well, here is how I looked at things…

Scenario

■ Complete and utter loss of coolant in 45 miles under normal driving conditions
■ No steam and no leaking of antifreeze
■ No signs of water coming out the tailpipe
■ No signs of water in the oil
■ No signs of leakage from the weep hole under the water pump
■ Radiator cap seemed tight enough
Possible root causes

■ Thermostat failure - probably most common among all possibilities, and the least expensive and the easiest to fix.
■ Water pump failure - also common, but more difficult and more expensive.
■ Leaking head gasket or cracked head or block. This would account for the coolant to disappear without a trace, by its escaping through a combustion path or into the crankcase. There would also be a high probability of impact to the engine’s performance.
There might be more, but those are the biggies that come to mind.

With the cooling system refilled, it was time to trouble-shoot in a more controlled situation. So, to start the Suburban back up; which brings me to another point. Extreme engine heat can fatigue and damage other components. In my case, the battery was shot.

So, after a jump start from another friendly traveler, using the jumper cables I always keep under the back seat (wish I’d had my tools that day also). With some extra water on board, we decided to push on down the road to the next town with a truck stop, about 45 miles away.

When we got there, she was running hot again. I opened the hood to take a look. You have probably and hopefully heard to be careful when opening the radiator cap on a hot engine. That is good advice. Here is how I do it… First, I squeeze the upper radiator hose to get a feel for the temperature and the amount of pressure. If it is absolutely too hot to touch, or feels firmer than a tennis ball, then forget it.

Satisfied that it was neither too hot nor too pressurized, I slowly and carefully turned the radiator cap to its depressurized catch. That is the point where the pressure seal is released and hot water could escape, but the cap still will not lift off. (I have heard horrible tales of people being badly burned by boiling coolant. Their flesh is so badly damaged that their skin comes off. In extreme cases, death can occur).

Next, I squeezed the upper radiator hose again to make sure there was no pressure left in the system. Then, I removed the radiator cap carefully, successfully and safely.

The water level was low again, but not empty. And the engine was nowhere near as hot. I decided that it was probably the thermostat causing the problem, and that I would try my quick fix. If I was right, it would solve my delimma, and if I was wrong, I would lose only a few minutes of my time.

The Solution:

Borrowing not more than a pair of pliers and a screwdriver, here is how I fixed the problem. With the pliers, I removed the snap ring that held the upper radiator hose to the elbow on the top of the engine that houses the thermostat.

The thermostat is a little round mechanism that acts as a doorway - a gatekeeper rather - to the liquid in the engine’s cooling system. It is designed to be closed when cold, then to open at a predesignated temperature - such as 160 degrees f, or 180, or whatever. There is a spring that keeps it closed by default. But it is made in such a way that when it gets hot enough, certain aspects of it will expand and open the gateway, thereby allowing the liquids to pass through.

If you run your vehicle without a thermostat, like I did once, it might not ever reach a suitable temperature for it to run properly. In my case, it was cold, the engine remained cold and ran poorly, and I froze inside because the heater had no heat since it needs the warmth of the engine to warm the passenger compartment.

But on the other hand, if your thermostat is stuck, then the coolant will not circulate, and the heat builds up in the engine because it cannot be dissipated through the radiator. Since our Suburban had encountered several months of inactivity, I believe that some of the resulting rust that accumulated on the thermostat has something to do with its sticking and failing me.

OK, I have told you a lot about my experience and about engine cooling and related problems to bring you to this point. So, let’s get on with the procedure already!

With the upper radiator hose off of the connector elbow, I had immediate access to the thermostat on a few inches inside below. With a screwdriver used as a spear (the bigger the better) and a hammer or something heavy, simply pound the tip and shaft of the driver through the thermostat. As long as you focus your damage on the thermostat and are careful to avoid hitting the water elbow or the manifold below the thermostat, you should be fine and need only to replace the thermostat and water elbow gasket when you get the time.

After sacrificing my thermostat and putting the hose back on and refilling with water, I was able to see the water circulating in the radiator (easiest to see when the cooling system/radiator is not completely full). I was back on the road with no more colling problems, and still am now, hundreds of miles later.

Unfortunately, the heat zapped the battery, which had to be replaced. And also the heat seems to have exacerbated some problems with the ignition system, such as with the plugs, wires, and distributor, which the dealer says all need to be replaced.

In the end, I hope this little trick can help you if you get into a pinch. But please, always remember that hot fluid from your radiator can be injurious or deadly, and that pouring water into the radiator of a hot engine can result in an unexpected volcanic-type eruption of scalding water.

With that, I wish you all the best!

Michael

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■ “I change my oil every 3,000 miles”
■ “I change the oil in my diesel every 10,000 miles”
■ “My fiance burned up the engine in her first car because she did not know to change the oil”
■ “I run 50 wt in my old muscle car because the oil pressure is so low.
■ “Oil companies have conspired to tell us to change our oil more frequently than necessary”
■ “Is synthetic oil really better than regular motor oil?”

What do they all have in common? The answer is that they are things that have been said by yours truly, plus some more. While there will always be theories and debates around motor oil, we’ve come a long way, and here are my thoughts and experiences.

Proper engine lubrication is essential to the life and performance of your automobile’s engine, and there are many factors to consider. Different oils come in different grades. They have different intended purposes; different intended usable lives.

We have always been told that we needed to change our oil and filter every 3,000 miles. For years we just believed it without question. Perhaps it was true in the beginning when refining was less sophisticated and filtration was less advanced. But now, personally, I believe that a decent grade conventional oil has a reasonable useful life of 5,000 to 6,000 miles if you are not racing or towing or driving in dusty conditions. But before we get into a debate, let me relate some experiences that have helped me come to see things the way I do.
In my Lexus ES 300 many years ago, I had the best intentions of changing my oil. I was using a good quality brand such as Castrol or Valvoline. 5,000 miles came and went. 6,000. 7,000. 8,000. I took a job that relocated me and it got even harder to get around to doing it. Finally, I decided to pay somebody to change it for me. Too late. At around 9,000 miles, when on the way to the shop, the lubrication failed and the engine died. With a knocking engine, an otherwise very nice car suddenly became salvage.

With diesel, it is a bit different, since diesel fuel is a less refined petroleum product and has greater lubrication properties than gasoline. My neighbor advised me that he changes the oil in his diesel truck every 10,000 miles. Another friend changes his every 15,000, while changing the filter in between.

Now my 97 Lexus LS 400 with a sweet high performance 4.0 litre V8 engine, I want to make sure I don’t make the same mistake I did with the ES 300. But neither do I want to change my oil unnecessarily just to help the oil companies richer - there are other charities higher on my priority list, like my own family! Now I have gone to strictly synthetic. There are some things to think about when switching to synthetic. What brand should I use? Could switching to synthetic possibly cause harm to my car?

Second question first. Some studies have shown that some cars have developed various degrees of oil leaks when being switched from conventional oil to synthetic. For example, the Porsche 911 was identified as having a particularly hard time. But my Lexus with almost 160,000 mile is doing just fine. And my Suburban with 125k miles does not seem to have any more leaks than it already had.

There are volumes of information on synthetic oil that you can easily find, so I’ll stick to my own opinions for this article. In my own research, I came across some forums where lots of guys are getting their oil tested for various attributes and then posting their findings. What I understood was that not all brands of oil are the same. Some store brands may lube just as good as the best ones up to 5,000 miles, but then deteriorate rapidly from there. In short, I found the greatest reviews for Mobile 1 across the board (Amsoil is another top brand). That is not to say that you can’t get something 10% better by paying 3 times as much. But for a simple guy like me, I like being able to pick up a 5 quart jug of it at Wal-Mart for $23.00, and then being able to drive and drive and drive. How far can you go on it?

Some folks are talking about 25,000 miles on Mobile One and Amsoil (I even remember the old Mobile 1 commercials talking about their 25k mile tests). But I see some saying they use these synthetics and still change their oil every 3,000 miles. Like I said, there will always be debate. However, I think it is actually somewhere in the middle. Personally, I am happy to say that I just went 17,000 miles on my Mobile 1 with a Fram filter. Remember, I drive very conservatively, mostly highway. But if I drove aggressively like in my younger days, or if I was towing a boat, or lots of stop and go, then I might change my oil with fewer miles on it.

The hardest stress on your engine, lubricationally-speaking, is when you first start it up. That is because all the oil has drained to the oil pan. The positive pressure is gone, and only a thin residue remains. Oil pumps are mechanically-driven and work only when the engine is running (unless you have an electric oil pump or primer). So, you want a good quality film coating your internal parts when you first start up. That is another reason I use synthetic.

As an aside, regarding the statement I made about using 50 weight oil, it is true. It was my wonderful 1969 Buick Skylark convertible. The buddy I bought it from had had the engine and tranny souped up a bit; and then he ragged on it! With the 4 barrel Holly carb and the shift kit, she’d chirp the tires hitting both second and third - a lot of fun for teenagers. But sitting at the stop light idling, the oil pressure light would come on. Maybe it was the oil pump, or perphaps there was too much tolerance in the crankshaft and camshaft bearings. But when I added the gear lube, the oil pressure light went out and the pressure gauge rose to a tolerable level.

Back to oil success. There is more than just changing your oil. Think about consumption. Be sure to check it every couple thousand miles. “My car doesn’t burn oil; there is no blue smoke” you say. That is all well and good, but you should still check your oil, because sometimes it can simply disappear. There are a number of variables such as prevalent temperatures, driving conditions, average engine RPMs, ancillary systems and computer settings, and engine design, that could all contribute to possible oil evaporation or dissipation through different ventilation pathways. Simply said, keep it filled within 1/2 quart of the fill line; you don’t want it too low, and you don’t want it over filled. In the case of Manfred the school bus, with a 13 quart capacity, I might add an extra quart. It leaks a little and probably dissipates some too. In the course of a 3,000 mile trip, I expect to use a quart or two.

With the blessing of synthetic oil and some good practices, I am hoping to get extremely long life out of my vehicles.

I hope this helps. Happy trails and all the best.

Michael

PS: I use Mobile One synthetic in my boats, motorcycle, go kart, mini bikes, and lawn mowers.

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Introduction

Great! You’re going to buy a new car. …well not exactly new since it is previously-owned, but nevertheless it’s still a new car for you. That is exciting, and important, so, you want to do it properly.

One of the greatest concerns most people have when it comes to buying used cars is whether it is a good buy. That is, the goal is to get one that brings you fun and joy, instead of drama and agony from frequent breakdowns and broken parts that turns your positive expectations into an utter nightmare.

Well, here is some good news. Regardless of your experience with buying used cars, this checklist can help you qualitatively evaluate a lot of the important stuff involved with buying a used car. And you will thank yourself for it after you dodge the lemon and land the sweet ride that will do you right.

(You might want to print out the printer friendly version of this article so you can take it with you!)

Items To Be Discussed:

• Pre-Screening
• Checking The History Of The Car
• Exterior
• Underneath The Car
• Under The Hood
• Interior
• Test-drive

To make the most of your time, make a list of the cars you are interested in. Leave a space for your comments. A simple List Of Interest can help you mentally, emotionally, and financially.

Pre-Screening

Call The Seller First!

Your time is precious so if you can eliminate a car from your inventory of car sellers for the make and model you’re searching for, then you’re working more effectively already. With your checklist handy, begin making your inquiries by phone or email.

Pre-Visit Questionnaire:

Why are you selling it?
You never know what the answer might be and maybe you can detect a lie of some sort used to cover something up. There are bad liars out there in the world and if they didn’t prepare and have something to hide, they will likely be mumbling something to pass off as a valid reason for selling the car.

Does the car have any specific features or special options that i should know about?
What is the current condition of the car?
Is it in impeccable mint condition or does it need additional work?

This is good to know beforehand so you don’t have any unexpected surprises when you get there. Always try to find out if the car needs additional body work, upholstery, etc… Time is money - and so is gasoline.
Usually you will get either a good run down of items still needed, or a simple “Yeah, sure the car is in good condition” type of reply. Don’t be afraid to inquire further, your time is just as valuable as the seller’s and if you can spare a round trip it means you save money on gas and you don’t waste any of your time.

Keep asking questions to get the specifics you need. Ask the seller if he doesn’t mind a few additional questions you would like him to answer, so you and the seller don’t have to waste each other’s time. Legitimate sellers should have no problems answering all of your questions about the car they are trying to sell you.

• How is the paint?
• Is there any rust?
• Is there necessary body work?
• How is the condition of the interior? Is there a clear indication of wear and tear or is it in impeccable condition?
• How is the engine?
• Are the brakes in good condition?
• Are the shocks in good condition?
• What kind of problems have you had with this car?
• Has the car ever been in an accident? If so how serious?
• How was it used?

Pizza delivery might mean lots of wear and tear on brakes, engine, tranny, suspension, driver’s seat – everything. Long trips, weekends only, mostly highway on the other hand mean a lot less stress.
It is not unusual to find a car with 150,000 miles driven by a traveling salesman that is in much better shape than one with 60,000 miles that was driven by a teenager.

And finally ask the seller what his/her asking price is and if he/she sees room for negotiation. Yes, some people do mistake the term asking price for a final price and when you try to bring down the price, they say something like “The asking price is what I want for the car so that is the price you need to pay?” - not understanding that an asking price is a starting point for negotiations.
Doing all these preliminary questions without leaving the house and working your way down your list of potential cars of the make and model you’re after, saves you time and gas money (If you travel by car) and if you have a little bit of people skills, you’re able to get a feel if the seller is being upfront with you about things, or if the seller is trying to hide something from you.

Maybe something you find suspicious in his way of answering your questions, or in his tone of voice. It’s hard to say of course for certain if your suspicions are justified, but nevertheless a simple phone call can give you the opportunity to dig further and determining if the car is worth spending your time on.

Checking the history of the car:

Speaking of digging further, you would by now have a list of potential cars you want to explore further, with a service like CarFax.com you can run down the list of cars through their online service and find out if the car truly hasn’t been in an accident or had a ton of previous owners. Call the owner of each car if you have multiple options and run the VIN numbers through the online record check service from CarFax.com

CarFax Record Check™
* Prior salvage, flood, or total loss reported to CARFAX
* Accidents reported to CARFAX
* Number of owners
* Odometer readings
* Service records
* Registration and title information…and more!

This may even filter down your list some more depending on the outcome of your performed searches.
If you discover a seller has lied about or misrepresented anything, then move on to the next car on your list.

Going To Check Them Out

First of all, so you can place yourself in a stronger position later on during negotiations, don’t get excited when you see the car, no matter how awesome it looks! No matter how impeccable the condition of the car is!
Because when you do the seller may be less inclined to lower his price in negotiations later on - knowing you’re so enthusiastic about the car and all and that you will eventually fork up his price.
So keep your enthusiasm and complimentary comments bottled up for now, you can always jump up and down and do your “I’m so happy” routine later on when you’re the new owner of your new ride.

In regards to your own safety, don’t carry any cash on you, take care of this after you have seen the car, and have come to an agreement, you wouldn’t be the first one to be robbed on the place you have agreed to meet by someone or multiple individuals that lured you to a place to show you their “car” for sale. Choosing to conduct your purchase transaction at a bank is your best bet. That way you have the security of video cameras, witnesses, and maybe even a guard or police officer.

If the seller has a problem with that, then perhaps it is a warning sign that you don’t want to do business with him anyway. Of course if the seller is a bona fide used car dealer, then you would likely do the transaction on his car lot during business hours. If for some reason you must meet at the seller’s home or some other private place, bring a couple of friends with you, and be sure to tell your family where you are going beforehand. Leaving an email trail is another way to ensure that the seller is aware that their dealings with you are documented. If the seller refuses to disclose his identity (real name) and phone number, then you should refuse to do business with him.

This is where the pre-visit questionnaire comes in handy as well, because most robbers are totally unprepared for the type of questions above and are abrupt and annoyed by your questions and just want to meet up with you - remember if someone don’t wants to answer some simple questions over the phone it’s not worth your time, or risk for that matter. All this is not to scare you or make you paranoid, but following some basic protocols can make all the difference.
Upon arrival, check that the person selling the car really owns it. Ask to see the vehicle registration papers and make sure the seller’s name and address appears on it. Ask the seller for proof of identity to verify.
You don’t want to buy a good car and then afterwards discovering that the car is stolen.

Exterior

When you’re going to inspect the car do it at broad daylight and never when it’s raining, when it’s about to go dark, or in the evening when you can’t see hardly anything at all.
Broad daylight, that means also no artificial light. If it’s in a garage ask the seller to move it outside for a better view.
Make sure the car isn’t parked against something, prohibiting to give you a full view on all sides of the car.
The car should not been recently driven and it should be parked on a leveled surface so you can clearly see if the car is leveled even and not sagging on a particular side because of faulty shock absorbers.

The Walk Around:

Start with checking the oil first, pull out the dipstick and if you see a brownish slurry, thus not oil of course, close the hood and don’t bolder anymore - strike the car of your list and move on as the engine block is raptured.
Oil looking good?
Now remove the cap of the radiator, because with a raptured engine block you see the same type of slurry in the radiator as well.

Important - Check this when the engine is cool!

• Verify if the engine is cool before removing the radiator cap.
• What is the quality of the water inside the radiator?
• Is it rusty or does it contain a oily substance?
• Be suspicious if you see perfectly clear radiator water, it’s probably refreshed especially for your visit and to remove the dirty water that give indications of potential problems with the car.
• If it looks good, and it shows regular oil and radiator fluid, then continue with checking out the other stuff.
• Are there any leaks from the radiator? Do you see water or rust stains?
• Is the hose free from leaks? - Also check the area where the hose meets the engine block.
• Inspect the car exterior for scratches, dents, paint ripples and rust.
• Windshield cracks?
• Check the doors - do they open and close without any problems?
• Is there anything broken/damaged? Such as the headlights, grill, bumpers.
• Do you see different color shades, which would be in most cases an indication of previous damage.
• Are the rubbers in the car doors in good condition?
• Is everything aligned correctly? For example does the hood have different seam sizes?
• Does the car sag on a particular side, is it leveled? If it’s not leveled most likely the shock absorbers are faulty.
• In case of a top, raise and lower it to find out if it works properly.
• Are all the mirrors present and adjustable?

* Negotiation Tip!

If you find a problem use it to your advantage to lower the price for the car, point out the faults you have discovered and that it requires additional funds to repair it properly.
So in order for you to maintain interest to buy the car the price has to come down, otherwise you’re not interested for the price the seller is asking.
Obviously the repairs shouldn’t require to much serious work, otherwise it’s best to move on and go to the next car on your list.

Shock Absorbers:

Go to each corner of the car and push it up and down until you have a rhythmic motion happening - and then stop abruptly. The movement you had induced should stop immediately. When it does not stop immediately the shocks may need to be replaced. When there is no way to get the car in a up and down motion then the shocks definitely need to be replaced.

Tires:

Check the tread condition on all the tires of the car including the spare. Uneven tire wear may indicate potential problems with the steering, alignment or suspension.
Turn the steering wheel to the far right and left to check the insides of the tires so you can see if there is any damage, this is something you can not see when the tires are aligned in a straight manor.
Is there enough tread on the tires at all? The tread on the tires is important for road grip and is important for your own safety, if there isn’t enough tread on the tires you need to replace them and it will bring you additional costs.
Most states’ laws, indicate tires are legally worn out when they have worn down to 2/32″ of remaining tread depth.

Interior Door Panels:

Check the doors, open and close them, do they close correctly without slamming the door?
Check for uneven seams as this indicates parts have been replaced due to previous damage caused by an accident.
Roll the windows up and down, do they work? Do they stay open halfway?

Underneath the Car:

Exhaust:

• Check the bottom of the car and look at the exhaust system, do you see rusty and brittle areas, faulty brackets? Use of putty?
If so this depending what you exactly see may result in additional needed repairs.

• Check for leaks in the exhaust pipe, use a rag to put on your hand and place your hand on the end of the exhaust with the engine running. Pressure should be building up and blow your hand away from the exhaust - if you have no problems
keeping your hands in place with not to much trouble then somewhere in the exhaust system there is a leak.
This could be very dangerous as escaping carbon monoxide gasses can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

• What kind of continues color smoke comes out of the exhaust? (Not puffs of smoke)

- If it is blue, it means the engine is worn and consumes tot much oil. - Shake owners hand and say “Have a good one Sir/M’am, but I’m not interested” - this car would be hopeless and exactly the type of car you don’t want to have anything to do with.

- If it is black it would indicate excessive fuel consumption. - Valves could be bad or not adjusted right; slipped timing belt; carburetor not adjusted correctly.
- If it is constantly white then engine coolant or anti-freeze is being processed in the combustion chambers of the engine. - Could be a bad head gasket or warped or cracked engine block.

On a cold day the smoke you see coming out of the exhaust may also display as white smoke, but this is a normal reaction as this is part of the condensation process. Once the engine is warmer it will clear up.
Check above the mound of the exhaust, if there is a black tarnish on the bumper, undercarriage and possibly taillights - this would also indicate a above normal oil consumption. And this would mean the car’s engine is unhealthy.

Rust:

• Do you see any clear indication of rust?
• Welding reparations? Welding operations are an indication of serious repairs or even putting together two half’s of two separate cars depending on the welding seams.
• Older cars always have some sort of rust, but what is important is the severity of the rust and how far it is eating away the material?

Light rust can be easily fixed, but serious rust is a problem, a problem you don’t want to be part of.

• Freshly applied Tectyl (A heavy black substance, leaves a strong smell as well.) is a sign of covering things up at last notice and that is not a good sign at all.

• Check the wheel wells for rust, this is one of the most common places where rust starts to form so be sure to check this out.

Under The Hood:

• Is the engine already warm? Possible a bad starter that’s been prepared for you.
• If the engine is very dirty it’s pretty much a dead give away on vehicle negligence, if it’s very clean then it’s recently cleaned and maybe done to hide any potential defects.
• Notice any damage to the hoses, messed up wiring or burned wiring?
• Leaks around the carburettor and fuel lines?
• Do you see any leakage on the ground where the car is parked?
• If you see puddles of oil or a clear indication of leakage you know you’re probably buying yourself a car with lots of repair costs and not the type of car you hoped to get.

Is your answer Yes to the above questions?

Remember this guy?

Right, you don’t want to be this guy, so it’s best to move on to another car you have on your list.

Is your answer No? - Then we can move on:

With the engine running remove the oil filler cap, if you see large amount of escaping gas, especially blue it means the engine is badly worn.
Have the engine running idle for a few minutes and have a friend to help you out by watching what type of smoke comes from the exhaust when accelerating. A single puff of blue smoke would indicate a worn engine, but a continues flow of blue smoke would indicate a really badly worn engine. (Not applicable to Diesel cars).

• Brake fluid, power steering and gearbox fluid filled to the proper levels?
• Once again as with checking under the dashboard, check the wiring, do you see any burned wires or botched repairs?
• How are the engine belts?
• Loose or frayed?
• How is the condition of the exhaust?
• Is it in a state of utter rustification or is it minor? - Most exhaust pipes show some signs of rust which is pretty normal.
• The front suspension…does it show rust around the mountings?

The presence of several minor problems that have been ignored can be an important indication of a larger pattern of neglect. For example, a “chopping” pattern on the front tires’ treads [due to failure to have them balanced and rotated in a timely manner] might be a sign of overall laziness and neglect by the owner in regards to maintenance on the vehicle. That is, maybe that have failed to have the oil changed regularly. If an automatic, when is the last time the transmission was serviced? What about replacement of the fuel filter? The timing belt?

Interior:

You where probably expecting information on seats, etc but it’s better to check the odometer first, if the odometer shows low mileage and the interior shows signs of excessive usage described later on, then the car may have a less long life expectancy then you might have thought it had.

How to detect odometer fraud?

Well, at least to have a good chance of detecting odometer fraud, because there are times it’s just not detectable.
Odometer fraud also known as clocking cars is a way to reduce the mileage shown on the odometer, with fewer miles on the meter prices go up and the seller makes more profit.
Once again CarFax.com is a great tool in your used car buying arsenal as you can obtain previous odometer records when present, so get a CarFax report, to not only check for previous accidents, flood damage but also the odometer records.
If there are discrepancies then you have to be very alert for not buying a worn down car, you never know how far back the odometer has been adjusted.

Have you checked out other cars of the same models previously?
Do these cars of the same make and model have fewer signs of wear and tear and higher mileage on the odometer? - then the odometer of the car you’re looking at right now, with more signs of wear and a lower odometer reading may have been rolled back.

• Do you see any signs of tamper with the cover in front of the meter? Scratches?
• Do the digits line up correctly? Are they crooked or straight?
• Excessive wear on the pedal rubbers, steering wheel and gear shift?
• Sagging seats or worn driver’s seat cover - worn carpets on the driver’s side?

Proceeding further with checking the interior of the car:

Check for moisture under the floor mats, if there is a lot of moisture or if it is wet then there are leaks somewhere, this can be very problematic, so be sure to check this out as this could cause rust and rot under the carpets. Condensation on the inside of the windows is also an indication of moisture build up in the car.

• Do the seats adjust easily?
• Do the seat heaters work?
• Is the dash in good condition?
• Does the seatbelts work? Give them a quick pull and check if they lock.

Electrical:

• How does the wiring look under the dash?
• Does it look good or do you see a lot of do-it-yourself wiring hacks?
• Does the heater, defroster, air conditioning and fans work?
• Do the wind shield wipers and washers work?
• Do the headlights work?
• Do the signal lights work?
• Do the brake lights work?
• All the light cases in good condition?

Test Driving The Car

Before you take any car for a test drive, think about insurance.

Verify that should you get in an accident whilst test driving the car that you’re covered.

Getting Started:

Switch the ignition on, but don’t yet start the engine.

Indication/warning lights should light up. If nothing is lighting up then obviously there must be a fault somewhere in the wiring or components. The oil and coolant level lights should light up after a few seconds. The hand brake light should switch off when the brake is released.

Potential ABS or airbags lights will have their own testing sequence. Look it up in the vehicle’s manual to see what this should be. If any lights stay on, especially those for brakes or coolant level, ask the seller for more information why this occurs.

Pedals:

Push down on the clutch and the brake pedal. Both pedals shouldn’t feel loose or spongy.

Push the brake pedal down hard. If you notice the brake pedal slowly dropping down to the floor it could mean there is a serious hydraulic problem. And that is not only a costly problem but you would be putting yourself in danger as well when driving the car.

Still with the engine off, pump the brake pedal a couple of times to use up the vacuum in the servo reservoir. When you have your foot still on the pedal proceed to start the engine - you should now feel the pedal push down to the floor under your foot.

With the engine still running, move the gear shift with the clutch in. It should move smoothly for you, and check if the stick vibrates - this is a sign of wear.

Other Items:

• Do you see the Temp warning light go out?
• Do you see the Oil warning light go out?
• Do you see the Charge warning light go out?
• Are all instruments working?
• Does the car start easily when cold?
• Does the car run smoothly when cold?
• Do you hear any strange noises when the engine is running cold?
• Does the clutch make strange noises when pushing down on it a few times?
• Turn the ignition off. Any restart problems?
• Move the car slowly forward, do you see any leakage on the ground?
• Is the fuel indicator in working order?

The Test Drive

Test the brakes first when starting to drive for obvious reasons.
Do you hear any unusual engine noises or experience strange vibrations when driving? With the windows down, drive the car along side of a wall type structure or curb that can reflect the sounds of the car. Do you hear anything that concerns you?

• Clanging or clunking sounds when starting and stopping the car could mean problems with exhaust, engine mountings, suspension, transmission or the drive shaft.
• Knocking or tapping sounds could be from a failing rod bearing, piston or piston pin.
• Whining or grinding sounds can mean worn bearings or gears which are expensive to repair.
• Squealing sounds when you use the brake may mean new brake pads or linings are needed. Scrubbings sounds are worse because it indicates that the “screeching” parts could be worn beyond repair.
• The engine should pull up smoothly when you accelerate the gas, without any stalls or power losses. Releasing your foot off the accelerator should also power down smoothly.
• Stop the car, and test the reverse, have a friend check if the reverse lights are working, or, use the reflection of a window or other object.
• Do you experience any problems with the transmission? Everything working smoothly?
• Does the hand brake work? Put it on handbrake and test it against the engine.
• Do the brakes work properly when braking on various speeds. Does the car stop straight; or does it pull to one side?
• Does the car accelerate smoothly from a dead stop?
• Make two sharp full circle turns, clock wise and counter clock wise, and find out if you hear any strange noises?
• When you hear rhythmic clunks from the front of the vehicle when driving, this may indicate that the drive shaft joints are badly worn and need to be replaced.
• Drive the car up a hill, does it have any problems taking on a hill?
• Check the handbrake. Is it strong enough to hold the vehicle on a hill?
•Driving the car up a hill is a good time to watch for blue smoke from burning oil coming out of the exhaust. When you go go down the hill have your foot off the accelerator, at the moment you reach the bottom of the hill, push down on the
accelerator again.

• If the engine is in poor condition and is old and worn it may take a while to get you up to speed and you may see a big puff of smoke coming out of the exhaust.
• How is the suspension of the car? Does it take bumps on smoothly, or is it rigid and are you bouncing all over the place?
• Park the car and have the engine running idle and check if it doesn’t overheat?
• Exhaust showing excessive smoke production? Watch the color of the smoke:
• Blue smoke means the engine is worn and is burning oil.
• Black smoke indicates excessive fuel consumption due to poor tuning.
• Constant white smoke – actually steam: Engine coolant or anti-freeze is being processed in the combustion chambers of the engine. Check the radiator fluid level (after properly alleviating any pressure in the cooling system, since burns from
engine coolant can cause severe injury). However, do not confuse this with the normal vapor that is present in the exhaust on cold days, or that is seen when first starting a car on a cool one.

Any odors?

The smell of burning oil can mean a worn-out engine.
Gasoline? If you can smell petrol fumes while you are driving, you may have a fuel leak.
Exhaust fumes? This can be very dangerous, as carbon monoxide leaks can poison you and your passengers and you could pass out behind the wheel or have long term health implications.

When done test driving the car, park the car, but leave the engine running and have another look under the hood.

This is a ideal time to give the engine another inspection:

• Oil or water leaks?
• Is the car leaking fluids from underneath the car?
• Does the car start easily again when you switch it off?
• Does the car overheat when running idle?

Conclusion

Hopefully with the above mentioned points you have a better understanding what to watch out for when you go out to buy a used car, and it will prevent that you will be buying a complete nightmare.
Good luck with your new ride!

P.S. - If you have any points you would like to see added or you don’t agree with something that is mentioned in this article - please leave a comment below or get in touch with us.

We would really appreciate your feedback!

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