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Article by Scott’s Automotive, Inc.

Any vehicle needs car repair from time to time. This could range from auto AC repair to brakes repair, transmission repair or engine repair. Various car repair needs can add up to quite a large expense, though, and any means of minimizing such car repairs would indeed be very welcome especially in times of financial crisis. One way to do this would be to implement automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures, some of which you can do yourself even without the help of your auto service mechanic. Of course, you still need your trustworthy auto service mechanic for more complex automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures and, later, for the inevitable car repairs. This to-do list will help you make the most of each of these stages.

Step one is always reading the vehicle’s owner’s manual. In fact, you should learn everything it has to say about your vehicle and, since you could not possibly memorize everything, you should keep the manual in a safe but readily accessible place. All of the required automotive maintenance procedures for your vehicle, as recommended by its manufacturer, are in the owner’s manual. The frequency schedule of every process is also indicated there. You should comply with these instructions faithfully.

Certain automotive diagnostic procedures can and should be done by the vehicle owner because you are the one who knows your vehicle best and how it behaves under normal conditions. You are, therefore, also the best judge of any changes in the car’s performance. This includes its handling, acceleration, deceleration, steering and braking. Changes in gas mileage and fluid levels are also relevant so gauge readings should be taken daily. The car’s tires, hoses and belts should be regularly inspected for wear and tear or damage. All kinds of weird noises, unusual odors, vibrations while driving or leaks should likewise be considered as warning signs for problems.

It is very important to document all your observations on your car’s changes, including a detailed description of the change and when it happened. Indicate if the problem is periodic or has remained constant. What were the conditions under which the problem appeared? Was it when the engine was cold, the engine was hot, upon acceleration, upon deceleration, while shifting, at any speed, or upon braking?

Some of these changes should be considered as emergency warnings. If you see any smoke coming from your vehicle, for example, you should promptly pull over and not restart the car. Call your auto service mechanic.

Even if the situation is not considered as an emergency, you should report any findings to your auto service mechanic as soon as possible. Take your logbook where you had documented your observations so that you can be sure that everything is completely disclosed without omissions. The accuracy of the report is important for the accuracy of your auto service mechanic’s diagnosis.

You should expect your auto service shop to provide you with a detailed written copy of your mechanic’s diagnosis and repair recommendations. The auto service shop should also give you a detailed written quotation for the recommended services and parts to be replaced, as well as a work schedule. Your written approval should be required before any work is done, including any other additional work.

If you are diligent enough to follow all the required automotive diagnostic and maintenance procedures for your vehicle, your need for car repair will surely decrease. That may mean less auto AC repair, brakes repair, transmission repair or engine repair. And when you do need any kind of car repair, you will surely benefit from the abovementioned tips on what you should expect from your auto service shop.

Article by Woody Wilson

Car interiors get hot. Even if the outside air is fairly cool, say in the 70s, the inside of the car can be many degrees hotter, with temperatures high enough to put pets in danger if the windows aren’t left open.

But setting aside living creatures, what else can be hurt by this high heat? As it turns out, your car is loaded with things that can suffer when the temperature gets too high.

The reason is infrared radiation from the sun. Ordinary automotive window glass doesn’t do much to stop infrared radiation, the heating rays from the sun. You can’t see infrared radiation as it is in the invisible part of the light spectrum. But you can feel it. You do feel it every time you lie out in the sun. What you detect as warmth is infrared radiation. It’s not the ultraviolet radiation that can burn you and that you guard against by using high-SPF sunscreen. Sunscreen doesn’t stop infrared radiation. Neither does glass.

Infrared radiation doesn’t heat the air as much as it heats the objects it strikes. It’s called radiant heat and warms what it touches, unlike a gas furnace, which heats air and sends it through your house using a fan. In your car, it’s more the seats and the dashboard and the steering wheel that have been exposed to infrared radiation heating the air than the air heating them.

Whatever the case, your car gets hot, and the heat can cause damage, as can the radiation itself. Excessive heat can damage audio equipment, distort CDs, not to mention melting some plastic items that don’t resist heat well.

Ultraviolet radiation presents another problem. UV radiation can fade your cloth upholstery, as well as any leather, wood or plastic in your car’s interior.

V-KOOL automotive window tinting films help keep your car’s interior from reaching the excessive temperatures infrared light is capable of generating. It also eliminates most UV radiation, but it won’t block the sunlight you want. It won’t make the interior of your car dark because it’s transparent.

Applied to your vehicle’s windows, V-KOOL window tinting film creates a barrier against UV and infrared radiation. In fact, it blocks as much as 96 percent of infrared radiation and 99 percent of UV radiation. In other words it provides important protection for your heat-sensitive equipment and for the entire interior.

You’ve seen the difference between the upholstery in a new car and the upholstery in an older car. You’ve experienced the fading that comes because of UV radiation. You’ve probably noticed it in your home, as well, when you’ve taken drapes down and seen the difference between areas exposed to sunlight and areas not exposed.