10 A
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2016
Summer AUTO CARE
Travel tips for a safe and successful road trip
A good road trip can be the
ultimate spring or summer
experience. With the open road
ahead, life’s troubles seem to
melt and there’s just the oneness
of the driver and the road.
For a road trip to be
successful, it’s not just a matter
of taking to the road and
putting the pedal to the metal.
There are a host of
considerations to make, which
can ensure safety and peace of
mind when beginning your
excursion. The hot sun that can
bake the roadway -- and your
body -- can also take its toll on
your car, contributing to
breakdowns. And there are
other factors to be aware of.
Maintenance should never
be overlooked when it comes
to prepping for a road trip. At
the least, The National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
recommends that drivers have
their tires, battery, belts, fluids,
and air conditioner checked by
a qualified mechanic prior to
starting any long trip. But the
list does not stop there. There
are many other precautions to
heed before taking to the road.
* Be sure to have all necessary
documents on hand. Nothing
can stall a road trip faster than
getting pulled over by a police
officer and being without your
license, registration and proof
of insurance. These are
required documents to operate
a vehicle, and it’s definitely
worth a second check in your
wallet and glove compartment
to be sure they are where they
should be.
* Get an oil change.
Prevent bugs, sap and
other substances from
ruining a vehicle
Keeping vehicles looking
pristine requires care and
diligent cleaning. So many day-
to-day
activities
and
environmental materials have
the potential to damage the
finish on cars and trucks.
While winter weather and
chemicals used to keep
roadways passable are often
blamed for affecting the
appearance of cars and trucks,
winter is not the only time of
year when substances can cause
damage to vehicles.
Spring and summer are
prime seasons for sap, birds
and insects. These times of
year tend to see an uptick in
road work as well, and such
projects can contribute to
damage caused by loose
asphalt, gravel and tar.
Addressing problems resulting
from tree sap, insect and bird
droppings and tar may not be
something to look forward to,
but it is necessary to keep cars
looking pristine.
Tree sap
According to Cars.com, an
automotive
information
resource and vehicle sales
website, although tree sap
won’t cause immediate damage
to vehicle paint, it should not
be ignored. Over time, sap can
become more difficult to
remove, etch through the clear
coat on the vehicle and cause
discoloration. When the
temperature is hot, damage
from sap can accelerate.
On
windows
and
windshields, drivers may be
able to gently remove dried sap
with a razor blade. However,
use cleaning products on more
delicate paint. Automotive
stores sell speciality sap and tar
cleaners. Otherwise, you can
try rubbing alcohol. It may take
a few attempts to remove sap
entirely.
Insects and bird droppings
Splattered bugs and avian
surprises dropped from above
can be a messy, unsightly
nuisance.
Their
acidic
composition also may cause
them to damage paint over
time. Bugs and droppings can
be sticky, so you will need to
work with something that will
remove the splatter without
removing the paint in the
process. A product like WD-40
may help. This oily product is
normally used on rust and
hinges. When applied with a
cloth and allowed to penetrate
the stain, it can loosen difficult-
to-remove sticky substances.
Always test any product you
use in an inconspicuous spot
first to make sure it doesn’t
damage or discolor your the
paint.
Insects or droppings that are
fresh may come off relatively
easily with a good washing or
hosing off of the car. Retailers
also sell specialty insect
sponges to remove bugs and
other debris.
Tar
Soap and water will do little
to remove tar and other
petroleum-based
products
from vehicles. Commercial tar
removal products use a strong
solvent or detergent to loosen
the tar. This may include
kerosene, mineral spirits or
another item mixed with
lubricants. Go slowly and use
caution so that you remove the
tar and not the paint.
Drivers who are hesitant to
clean their vehicles of common
residue can have their cars or
trucks professionally detailed,
leaving the work in the hands
of experts.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Ready your car for spring and summer travel
The return of warm weather marks the
return of road trips for millions of motorists
across the country. Whether going to the
beach or heading off to parts unknown,
hitting the open road with the windows
down is a time-honored tradition for drivers
of all ages.
But such road trips can prove disastrous if
drivers don’t take the right steps to prepare
their vehicles for spring and summer travel.
The following are a few ways motorists can
ensure their car is ready to tackle the open
road.
* Tighten things up. Loose parts, such as
exhaust clamps, license plates, and interior
trim panels, can create rattles and cause parts
to get damaged or fall off. What’s more,
rattling sounds can be a noisy nuisance for
drivers and passengers alike. Permatex
Threadlockers can be used to keep the nuts
and bolts from coming loose and save parts
replacement costs. They also have a
threadlocker for plastic fasteners, which
vehicle manufacturers have grown to rely on
more and more.
* Wash your car. A newly washed car not
only looks good, but it’s often much safer as
well. Take your car to a car wash a few days
before the trip and have the vehicle
thoroughly cleaned. A thorough cleaning will
remove dirt and grime from the vehicle’s
undercarriage, not to mention unsightly bird
droppings and water spots or salt stains
leftover from winter.
* Fix foggy headlight lenses. Many spring
and summer road trippers travel at night so
their days can be spent soaking up some sun
at the beach or lake. Before heading off for
parts unknown, motorists should inspect
their headlight lenses to reduce risk of
accident. If the lenses are yellowed and foggy,
that’s likely because salt, ozone and road
debris has dulled them to a point where
vision can be impaired, placing drivers and
their passengers at risk. But foggy lenses
don’t mandate an expensive headlight
replacement. In fact, The Permatex Lens
Renew Kit makes it easy to clean up and
polish dull headlight lenses and restore them
to like new condition, improving your car’s
lighting and driver visibility.
* Check the battery. Over time, battery
terminals and cables will start to corrode.
Such corrosion will eventually eat away at the
battery’s parts, creating a bad connection
that sooner or later will require the battery be
replaced. Check the battery before your trip
and remember to clean the battery
periodically as part of routine vehicle
maintenance.
* Address windshield nicks and bullseyes.
Nicks and chips in the windshields are a
common problem regardless of the season.
But such damage is most prevalent in the
winter because of the extra debris that’s on
the road. These nicks and cracks need to get
fixed as soon as possible to prevent them
from spreading and resulting in the need for
a windshield replacement. Oftentimes,
motorists can address nicks and bullseyes in
their own driveways
in a matter of minutes.
For example, the
Permatex
Bullseye
Windshield Repair kit
is tailor made for
do-it-yourselfers,
requiring no heating
or mixing while
ensuring each repair is
virtually undetectable.
More information
on easy repairs that
you can do yourself
can be found at www.
permatex.com.
4 ways to conserve fuel and stop paying so much at the pump
Fuel prices have traditionally been at their highest during the
summer months. That’s unfortunate for vacationers and road trip
enthusiasts who must budget the cost of fuel into their vacation
expenses. Those costs can be considerable, especially if gas
continues to hover around $4 per gallon as it has for much of
2012.
But as costly as gas has become, drivers can still mitigate those
costs by employing a few strategies aimed at increasing their
driving efficiency. The following are a few ways drivers can offset
high fuel costs regardless of the time of year.
1. Maintain a consistent speed. Though it might be hard to
maintain a consistent speed when driving during rush hour, it
should not be too difficult to do so when hitting the open road. If
most of your driving is done on the highway, go easy on your
engine by maintaining a consistent speed. The easier you are on
the engine, the less taxed that engine will be and the less fuel it
will need as a result. If going on a long road trip or if your daily
commute involves long stretches of highway driving, rely on your
vehicle’s cruise control function to make things easier on your
engine and conserve fuel.
2. Don’t drive when you can walk or bike. It might sound
simple, but the best way to conserve fuel is not to use it at all.
During the warmer months, walk or ride your bicycle when
performing local errands. This is especially beneficial during the
summer, when gas prices are typically higher. Save a few gallons
of gas by running errands on foot or on your bicycle. If a physical
condition makes it hard for you to walk or bike, make use of
public transportation when you need to travel locally.
3. Obey the speed limit. The open road entices many drivers to
put the pedal to the metal, but driving over the speed limit is both
illegal and expensive. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that
drivers pay an additional $0.31 per gallon for every five miles they
drive over 60 mph. Since gas prices have already hovered around
$4 per gallon for much of the year, drivers would be wise to obey
the speed limit and conserve their fuel as well as their money.
4. Don’t make your vehicle into a traveling closet. Many drivers
keep excess materials in their cars, whether it’s a cooler for
picnics, a set of golf clubs or an old baby stroller. Excess weight
will rear its ugly head at the pump. The DOE notes than an extra
100 pounds in a vehicle can reduce its miles per gallon by as much
as two percent. Before hitting the highway, check your trunk and
the backseat and remove any unnecessary items.
Drivers spend a considerable amount of money at the gas pump
each week. But a few simple strategies to conserve fuel can save
money and help the planet at the same time.