Chicago Car News with LB

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Auto slump slams Toyota

12/28/2008 Comment on This

That was the headline in the Detroit News on Tuesday December 23rd after the automaker posted a $1.7 billion dollar loss, it's first since 1950. If you've been following the current plight of the "Big Three" American car manufacturers, the American press would have you believe it was all peaches and cream in the land of the rising sun. The truth is EVERY car company worldwide is hurting with the recent worldwide slowdown in car sales and their ALL asking for help from their governments. Toyota's November sales were down 34%, Honda's slid 32%, only slightly less then the overall auto market's 36% sales plunge. Both companies are very concerned about the health of the U.S. car market, the largest in the world. And they should be, when the U.S. sneezes the world catches a cold. American consumers are filling a lot of rice bowls back in Japan; a slowdown in sales here will ripple thru the Japanese economy. You better believe, if asked, the Japanese Government will rush to aid their car manufacturers and not a word of it will be leaked to the local press. Congress's release of 17 billion to the Big Three with strings attached makes little sense when compared to the 750 BILLION it pledged to the U.S. Banks without even asking where the money would be spent.

But then again the car companies don't have a former executive heading the Treasury department. It looks like it pays to have friends in high places.

Drive safely and be here to see the New Year.

LB

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Do we really "save" money by not salting the roads?

12/21/2008 Comment on This

I've seen the government do some really dumb things over my lifetime but the decision to not salt the roads before every storm really takes the cake. In case you didn't know the price of road salt has increased by over 300% since last winter and no one really knows why. Does a shortage exists? Only the salt at $48 per ton seems "unavailable". There's plenty available for $120 per ton and a guy on Craigslist was offering "all you want" at $141 per ton. Hmmm? Could it be cities are being "gouged" by salt speculators who are manipulating the supply and prices? Whatever the reason municipalities are now being frugal and miserly with the application of road salt this winter and the result is going to be nothing short of a disaster in the number of accidents and fatalities as a result. The combination of speed, lack of driver expertise, and a slick road surface is a deadly one and has the ability to effect every one of us or someone in our family. This isn't the place to try and save money. May I suggest they walk thru any government office at 2 pm any day and lay off anyone caught napping. This should provide plenty of money for road salt and you can always hire the dead wood back when the weather warms, mission accomplished. Another approach would be if the State's attorney announced that her office is beginning to investigate the recent run up in salt prices and anyone caught gouging was going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I'd bet that announcement alone would drive prices down 30% overnight.

Till one of these things happen be aware that slick road conditions can now exist at any time of the day or night. Keep your speed down and maintain a safe distance from the car ahead of you. Be extra careful on entrance and exit ramps and especially on bridges which always freeze first. Make sure your not driving on worn tires and check you inflation pressure every month.

Spring is coming, let's all live to see it.

LB

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Are snow tires obsolete?

12/14/2008 Comment on This

When I was a kid EVERYONE put snow tires on for the winter. Local gas stations did a brisk business selling and mounting tires (this was before they discovered there was more money to be made selling Twinkies) that looked like they belonged on a bulldozer. Jagged tread patterns were in vogue back then and you could hear a car equipped with them a mile away by the rumble they produced. When the weather got REALLY bad you got the CHAINS out and proceeded to chew up your towns asphalt streets.

Front wheel drive cars changed all of that. No longer was it necessary to carry 200lbs of weight in the trunk to get traction on a slick road surface. "All season" tires became standard equipment on every vehicle, snow tires became a thing of the past. Or had they? What a lot of people don't realize is the effect outside temperature's below 45 degrees have on a tires performance. Rubber hardens below that temperature and a hard tire just doesn't have the same "grip" on the road. Tire companies came out with "winter" tires that featured a softer rubber compound that were unaffected by temps as low as -40 degrees! Think it doesn't make a difference in your cars performance? Drive a car equipped with Bridgestone Blizzak's. Those things stick like glue and are worth their weight in gold if you currently drive a rear wheel drive car like a Jaguar or BMW. Toss a 100lb bag of sand in the trunk of a car equipped with Blizzak's and it becomes a virtual snowmobile, able to tackle the slickest of road conditions. Their only fault is rapid tread wear if you leave them on year round. The softer rubber compound wears faster in warm weather so you would be wise take them off for the summer driving season. True car enthusiast's keep them mounted on a second set of wheels that they swap out in the fall. If you maintain a good relationship with your local dealer he may store them for you for free, making the switch almost painless.

For more tire information visit www.tirerack.com

Drive safely!
LB

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Should the government bail out the U.S. Auto makers?

12/5/2008 Comment on This

Should the government bail out the U.S. Auto makers? In my opinion, no. Will they get it?
Yes they will. Why? With the economy in its present state, its just to big of a gamble not to help them. Wall Street provided a minimum of jobs but received hundreds of billions in aid for their past mistakes. The domestic automakers provide thousands of high paying jobs and are asking for paltry $35 billion in loan guarantees (don't worry, they'll be back for more). How did they get into this position? Simple, they placed all of their chips on gas guzzling SUV's and pickups while the competition developed high mileage small cars. As gas prices soared showroom traffic at domestic brand stores dropped off while the import stores picked off their customers. Sales sank so fast they quickly outpaced planned cuts in production and staff and the red ink flowed, eating up their cash reserves at a furious pace.

When it became obvious they would run out cash in a matters of months the jug heads running the U.S. Automakers decided to jump on their Gulfstream Jets and head to Washington while our leaders still had the checkbook out. What they hadn't counted on was the grilling they received. How would this money be spent? How would it be repaid? How many jobs would be saved with this aid? When it became apparent they were going home empty handed they quickly jumped on their G-6's and flew back to the Motown to plan their next move. Suddenly the UAW was willing to reopen employment agreements, one CEO offered to work for $1 per year. They shined up their latest hybrids and DROVE them to Washington, hat in hand and ready to munch on some humble pie. One company CEO was even reported to have a hole in the bottom of his shoe ( a nice touch and very effective). As this is being written, their in front of Congress restating their case. I wish them well.

Truth be told, the U.S. car companies have never made a better product lineup. They are truly "World Class" automobiles and can compete heads up against any other product on the market today. American consumers perceive them as "inferior" and many won't even consider venturing into a domestic showroom before buying their next vehicle. GM, Ford and Chrysler have done a poor job of marketing their new products, and in a consumption society "perception" is everything. Guess what's one of the hottest selling cars in China today? Would you believe Buick? The Chinese are smart consumers and realize what a quality automobile Buick is and have no qualms about buying one.

Americans should be so smart.

Drive safely
LB

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Will Americans continue to buy small cars?

11/30/2008 Comment on This

With gas prices falling will Americans continue to buy small cars?

I don't think so. Remember, this is the land of excess, the birthplace of the SUV and Hummer H-2. We believe in "big things" and surely nothing weighing less then 4500 lbs could possibly be considered "safe"? Till gas hit $3 per gallon Americans gave little thought to gas mileage, but $5 per gallon changed everything. Suddenly it wasn't considered "cool" to be seen in anything larger then an old VW and "green" took on a whole new meaning other then the color of money. Cadillac Escalade's were replaced with Toyota Prius's, even if the Caddy owner was looking at taking a $20,000 loss on the trade. Car dealers had Lot's filled with SUV's and pickups nobody wanted, while four cylinder cars were in short supply.

But just like Chicago weather, things can change in a short period of time. A stock market crash followed by weak economic reports caused oil prices to plunge. Prices at the pump deflated faster then a punctured balloon. On a recent trip to Michigan over the Thanksgiving Weekend I spotted $1.59 per gallon. Amy Jacobson reported seeing $1.39 per gallon in St. Louis over the same weekend. But something drastic had occurred, Americans had changed their driving habits. They no longer took numerous, needless trips running errands and instead put a little bit of planning into their weekly itinerary. While they still preferred large vehicles they used them less often and consumed a lot less fuel. They were sending a message to our Mideast suppliers, get greedy and we'll find a way to send you less of our hard earned money.

That's a good thing and I hope it doesn't change. You CAN drive a large vehicle and still save on gas if you just do a little planning and ease up on that accelerator a bit.

Christmas is coming, slow down and live to see it.

LB

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Now that's a Fire!

11/23/2008 Comment on This

Last year in the United States there was over 100 fires at gas stations caused by static electricity. How does this occur? Fires can start with the static electricity all cars accumulate while driving as air passes over them. It can especially be problematic when it's cold and dry, making winter the prime time for starting static fires while refueling.

During fueling, fumes can leak from both the fuel tank and the pump nozzle. If you get in and out of the car several times, the car's static electricity can be transferred to your body and If enough static is built up, it can cause the vapors to ignite if you touch the fuel nozzle and cause a spark.

How can this be avoided? Don't get in and out of your car while refueling. I have a habit of starting the pump and then cleaning out the garbage in my car while waiting for the tank to fill. I won't be doing that again, that's exactly the type of situation that can cause a fire. If I don't touch the car body prior handling the nozzle a spark can occur and ignite the vapors emitting from the tank. Touching the car body discharges the static electricity from your body and cures the problem. Shoes with rubber soles can also help "ground you" and avoid causing a spark. You may also want to touch the pump nozzle to a metal surface away from the gas tank before fueling.

While the number of incidents is down significantly from several years ago due to improvements in pump design the danger is still there and drivers need to be aware of the conditions under which they occur.

Have a safe Thanksgiving and please don't drink and drive.

LB

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Time to shine!

11/16/2008 Comment on This

Face it, Chicago winters are just brutal on your cars finish. Salt and slush coat what used to be a shiny finish on an almost daily bases. If you want your car to look good for that first warm Spring day, its important to get a good coat of wax on it right now.

Start with a good car wash and interior vacuum. Unless your driving something exotic like a Ferrari a standard machine wash with brushes will work just fine. I avoid "brush less" car washes since they use chemicals to remove the dirt and tend to also attack the wax finish. Hand car Wash's are great but tend to be a lot more expensive. Mechanical brushes won't scratch your cars finish unless they are loaded with dirt from a lack of maintenance, ask the wash owner how often he cleans his.

Start cleaning the interior with a good vacuum job. Move the seats as far forward as they go to find everything that has fallen out of your pockets over the past six months. You'll be amazed what your going to find under those seats, petrified french fries, hamburger wrappers,and some type of sticky substance seem to appear in almost every car.

At this point you'll want to decide if you want to tackle the rest of the job yourself or farm it out to a professional detail er. If you decide to go with a pro forget all of the above and just get out the checkbook, a good detail runs between $100 to $150 and is worth every cent. It's amazing what a good detailer can do to improve a cars looks and bring back a faded finish. If you decide to do it yourself be prepared to give your arm a real workout, "wax on" and "wax off" can be tiring.

What type of wax to use? I like Turtle Wax products, they work well and are very affordable and best of all it's a Chicago based company producing the best selling car wax in the world!

Remember, for most people their car is the most expensive purchase they make in their lifetime next to their home. A wash every week along with a wax twice a year will keep it looking like new for years to come.

Buckle up every time you get in the car, the life you save may be your own!

LB

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Smart People Buy Used Cars

11/9/2008 Comment on This

Let's say you had a weak moment this past week and you went and bought a new car.
Over the next five years what is going to be your largest expense in owning this vehicle?
The correct answer is depreciation! What is it? It's a loss of value you experience the minute you drive that car off of the showroom floor. All cars depreciate,even luxury models and its not uncommon to lose 40% to 60% of the original value in the first three to five years of ownership.

What can you do to combat this? The answer is easy, buy a used car and let someone else take that hit in value for you!

Want a great deal on the car of your dreams? Seek out the sweet spot in used car pricing. That would be a vehicle between 36 to 48 months in age with less then 36,000 miles on it. Why is the mileage so important? You want a vehicle that is still under the manufacturer's bumper to bumper warranty, any mechanical defects you find will be repaired for free. You can also extend that warranty at a dealer that retails that brand for an additional cost. WARNING! Don't let the Finance person put you into what's called an "aftermarket" warranty, its really an Insurance policy in disguise. You'll want all repairs to be performed by a dealer with a service department trained and properly equipped to repair that brand.

Finally, if you elect to save thousands with a pre-owned vehicle purchase be flexible on color and options, it'll make the search a lot easier. I'd start the hunt on www.cars.com which allows you to search by make, model, mileage, price and distance.

You can also find five pages of free car buying tips at www.smartpeoplebuyusedcars.com

Drive safely, the life you save may be your own!

LB

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The lifeblood of an engine

11/2/2008 Comment on This

Oil! It's the lifeblood of an engine.

However it does get dirty and needs to be replaced on a regular bases. How often should you change it? I'm old school and change mine every 3000 miles religiously.

However, many manufacturer's are now stretching the mileage between oil change intervals and you should consult your owners manual to determine what's best for your vehicle.

Changing oil and a filter is a simple task but there are a dozen ways to screw it up!

Here's a list of possible problems.

1. Installing the wrong oil filter (this can cause a major problem)

2. Over tightening the oil filter (good luck getting it off next time!)

3. Not tightening the oil filter (causing a massive oil leak followed by an engine failure)

4. Over tightening the drain plug and stripping it.

5. Not tightening the drain plug ( If it falls out, believe me you won't get far)

And my personal favorite

6. Forgetting to put the new oil back in the engine before starting it. (this actually happened to me when I had my son's car serviced at a local quick lube center)

If your changing it yourself you'll want to consult the owners manual (it's the little book in the glove box that nobody ever reads) to find the recommended type and weight for your engine.

What brand? Stick to the better known ones such as Pennzoil, Valvoline, Shell or Castrol. Premium oil is similar to a good quality brand of gasoline, both contain additives that will keep your engine clean and extend its life. If you don't know what brand your mechanic or service center is using, ASK! Don't accept cheap substitutes!

Finally, should you use mineral oil based engine oil or synthetic? I use nothing but synthetic in my race cars but find it to pricey to use in in my street cars when I'm changing oil every 3000 miles. In high heat situations like towing a trailer or in a pickup used in hauling heavy loads synthetic wins hands down every time and is well worth the investment.

Drive safely and watch out for the other guy!
LB

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Wonderful Weather

10/26/2008 Comment on This

Face it, nobody lives in Chicago because of the wonderful weather.
If you think its hard on you, just think of what it does to your poor car that must deal with 100 degree heat and sub zero temperatures over the course of a normal year. It's a wonder they perform as well as they do with so little maintenance.

Fall is a great time to get your car prepared for winter. Why wait till till it gets nasty outside?
Take it to your local mechanic or dealership where you have a relationship with the staff. Once they get to know you and your car, they'll work with you to keep it running in top condition.

Here's what they should be looking for.

1. Check the condition of the tires.
Don't try and milk another winter out of those worn skins! Have them inspected by a pro who can spot cupping, flat spots, or abnormal wear patterns which could indicate a suspension problem

2. How old is the battery?
No part of your car works harder then your battery. If its four or five years old, replace it now. Why wait till it fails to start the car in sub zero weather? A good one cost around $100 which is a lot less then having your car towed and finally fixed.

3. Get an oil change.
Oil is the lifeblood of your engine. Make sure your using a premium brand such as Valvoline, Shell, Pennzoil etc. They contain anti wear additives which will keep your engine in top condition. Check your owners manual to find the proper weight and amount recommended for your car.

4. Have the anti freeze tested.
Make sure it's good for no less then 30 below zero. The last thing you want is for your radiator to freeze up causing the engine to overheat. Have the system flushed and filled every three years, anti-freeze contains additives that wear out over time. Your cooling system is a very important component of your car and needs to be serviced on a regular bases.

5. Check your wiper blades.
Worn ones cause streaking, smearing, and poor visibility. A good set cost under $25 bucks and install in minutes, so not why not change them?

We can't do anything about the crazy weather we have in Chicago, but there's no reason we can't prepare for it.

Drive safely
LB

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