I lease a 2006 Toyota Camry and recently the driver side window made a really loud noise when I rolled it down, and then I wasn’t able to roll it back up. I paid the dealership $150 for them to look at it and tell me that the whole window needed to be replaced. Apparently, the window clips broke and since the clips come from the manufacturer I would need the whole glass replaced. My warranty expired about 5,000 miles ago, but I consider myself a good customer. The dealership told me it would cost $400 (less the $150) to repair. They also offered me 20% discount. I feel that this repair should be taken care of by the dealer or Toyota – what should I do?

Answer:

First, what the dealer has told you is correct. It’s silly, but once the clips holding the glass to the mechanism break, it’s time to replace the whole apparatus.

Since the dealer isn’t willing to repair the window free of charge, you can try and find an independent repair shop to do the work for less. However, the 20% discount the dealership offered you likely makes them the cheapest place to go.

As far as getting your repair covered completely, there is something called “after warranty assistance.” It’s not really easy to get, but I would definitely try. Just keep in mind that since your warranty is completely past, you will likely have to pay something. The question is, how much? After warranty assistance will usually cover 50-80% of the cost, so that should be your goal.

Our Recommendation: Speaking with the GM is usually productive in this situation, but you want to give the service manager a chance to come through for you. We would suggest you call and ask the service manager for after warranty assistance before you call the general manager.

Let me say right now that while I believe everyone should have a basic understanding of how everyday devices work (like a car’s engine, for instance), I will be the first to admit I have no idea how a lot of things work (not when it comes to cars of course, but I can’t explain how babies work to save my life…).

I’ll go one step further and say that when it comes to owning a car, you don’t really need to know how everything works in order to get by. You can enjoy a long and fruitful life of auto ownership without knowing anything about the 4-stroke cycle or how transmissions work.

HOWEVER, the facts are these:

• It’s nice to know how things work. It makes us feel smarter and more informed.
• It doesn’t take much effort to learn - two hours of your life *tops* will cover all the bases.
• Most importantly, knowing the basics of how your car works will dramatically reduce the likelihood that someone will try to take advantage of you.

SO, if you want to learn more, check out CarBibles.com. Without over-hyping the site, let me say that it is AWESOME. The explanations are all fantastic (and correct), and they’re delivered in a clear, concise method that had me chuckling.

If you’re interested in learning about your car, visit this site. My advice is to start with the article about your vehicle’s engine and fuel system. An hour or two of your time spent reading and learning will go a long ways towards your next visit to your local service facility.

Just think about the look on your mechanic’s face when you start asking intelligent and informed questions about the repairs he or she is advocating. By proving you have a basic understanding, you’re demonstrating that you’re willing to call their bluff. You’ll notice the number of recommended repairs usually drops quite a bit once you’ve proven just how smart you are.

Crack the books and get started! If you like the info as much as I do, make sure to leave the owner of the site, Chris Longhurst, a small donation.

It turns out that there are actually quite a few people out there who have their eye on what has turned into a lucrative segment of the car theft market. These would-be thieves aren’t looking to relieve you of your entire exhaust system, or even your muffler. What they are after is the catalytic converter, a part you probably never even think about until it comes time to replace it. The catalytic converter breaks down the exhaust gases produced by your engine into their harmless component gases, such as nitrogen and oxygen. The converter is usually a large, tubular device made of steel, and it can be located anywhere along the exhaust line.

Why would someone go through the effort of removing such a heavy, specific component, at great risk to themselves of getting caught red-handed under someone else’s car? While most car parts are stolen in order to be re-sold to those looking to use them in their own cars, that is not why catalytic converters disappear. Converters contain rare, precious metals that are vital to their operation. The exhaust gases are ‘converted’ by exposure to a very thin coating of platinum, palladium and rhodium that lines the interior of the device. These metals are very expensive. Platinum is sold for around $1200 per ounce, whereas rhodium can cost as much as $6000 per ounce. Thieves generally sell their catalytic converters to scrap yards or other metal buyers for under $250 each. The metals are then extracted and sold for a large profit.

What are the most common methods for a thief to get at these valuable parts? Usually the robbers target poorly monitored storage yards or warehouses so they can score many parts at once. However, some thieves are quite brazen and it is no longer unusual for police to encounter cases where a car’s catalytic converter was stolen while the vehicle was parked in a public parking lot or even the owner’s driveway overnight. The tools of the trade are simple: a pry bar, a rotating saw and a jack.

Obviously, given the cost of these metals, replacement catalytic converters are not cheap. This can be compounded by the fact that many cars have more than one converter installed – usually a maximum of four. Depending on the type of car that has been victimized, it can cost thousands of dollars to replace all of the converters, including the time your car spends in the shop. There is no foolproof way to protect your car from this kind of damage, but there are some precautions you can take.

• If you have a garage, park your car in it overnight instead of leaving it in the driveway.
• When parking outside, make sure that your car is in a heavily lit, well-trafficked area where it will be hard for a thief to conceal his actions or equipment.
• Install a vehicle alarm system with a shock sensor.

I have a 1990 Honda Accord with about 150K miles. I bought it new. It’s in very good condition as far as body (no rust) and runs like a top, but is starting to show its age. About 3 months ago I did have the AC repaired, (it hadn’t worked in over 3 years) and replaced the entire exhaust system to the tune of a little over 900 dollars. I have had the car regularly maintained, i.e. oil changes, belts, hoses, etc. since it was new. I have resigned myself to keeping it forever instead of buying a new one.

Since I’ve had this car since it was new, and since I like it so much, and since I have some cash saved up (about $10k) I’m very interested in having the car totally restored - is this advisable?

Answer:

I have to say I’m intrigued by your question. It’s exciting to think about “pimping out” a 90′ Accord - especially with such a solid budget. However, before you make the leap, I have a question for you: Is this your daily driver? If not, it’s up to you. I wouldn’t do it, but I haven’t seen the car and I don’t have the relationship with it that you do.

If the answer is yes, then I must advise you to save your money. Restoring a car (any car) is expensive, time consuming, and terribly inconvenient. Since you’re not going to do the work yourself, you’ll have to work with a mechanic’s schedule. I can tell you that their typical restoration project runs 4-12 weeks of uninterrupted time. Granted, you could do the restoration one step at a time (and therefore one or two days at a time), but that ads quite a bit of labor to the cost (as I’m sure you know, when you’re restoring something, it makes sense to dismantle most of the car, then fix, replace, or upgrade piece by piece as you re-assemble). Basically you’re going to be without a ride for a month or two (or three) if your restore your car.

Second, your budget for a full restoration is too low. Figure that a quality shop will charge a labor rate of at least $100 an hour for a full restore. While you could get an engine and transmission rebuild, all the major maintenance done, a new interior, a paint job, a stereo, and a set of wheels for $10k, you’re still going to have a car that’s mostly 18 years old. A full restoration will make it “new” again, but it would cost $20k at a minimum (basically, the same as a new Accord).

I like your idea of keeping the car, but my advice would be to send it to the boneyard the next time you have to spend more than a few hundred dollars for a repair. The trouble with these older cars is that they can “nickle and dime” you to death. Think about it this way:

You spent $900 for an A/C and exhaust repair 3 months ago. If you spend another $1000 to fix something else in 6 months (totally possible), that works out to $1,900 spent in 9 months.

$1,900 over 9 months = $212 a month in maintenance.

$212 a month is a car payment my friend.

My recommendation: Keep it until something expensive breaks (more than a couple hundred), then sell it on Craigslist to someone looking for a fixer-upper (you might be able to get a couple thousand for it if it’s in good shape). Then take your $10k and go buy something else.

It’s not surprising that now more than ever, those fuel saving gadgets and additives that used to be exclusively advertised on late night TV have suddenly become mainstream products. With everyone looking for an edge on gas mileage, you might have been tempted to purchase one of these devices and install it on your car or truck. Is it possible that any of these products live up to their promises, or is it all just snake oil in a box?

Sadly, it seems that almost all of these miracle cures for poor fuel mileage don’t add up to much more than marketing hype.

The ‘Turbonator’ is a device which is designed to be fit into the pipe that brings fresh air into the engine. Essentially, the makes of the device claim that by placing a stationary fan blade inside of the pipe, it can create a ‘vortex’ which will more efficiently burn fuel, increasing both mileage and horsepower. The makers of the Turbonator claim mileage increases of as much as 33%. Lofty claims like this one are an easy way to spot fakes and frauds. To begin with, if it were that simple to dramatically improve the fuel mileage of a vehicle, then Turbonators would all come stock on every car sold around the world. Unfortunately, automotive engineering is a lot more complicated than a one-size fits all vortex generator.

Another popular set of ‘fuel savers’ are devices which claim to use the power of magnetism to somehow improve your miles per gallon. These devices usually stick onto the fuel lines heading into the engine bay and make pseudo-scientific claims that the magnets ‘align’ the fuel molecules in order to promote quick burning. Sadly, magnets do not affect non-ferrous materials, negating any effect they might have on your engine’s performance. Even if these magnets were able to somehow re-arrange the molecular structure of fuel they way they claim, there still would not be a noticeable improvement in engine performance, as there is no evidence that this type of effect provides any real benefit.

The list of fuel additives and mileage increasing devices is quite long, but nowhere amongst any of those vaunted products will you find anything that will affect the efficiency of your vehicle more than a program of regular and consistent maintenance. Things like maintaining the proper air pressure in your truck’s tires, regularly changing your oil, spark plugs and air filter, and cleaning the carbon out of your intake manifold will not only increase your fuel mileage, but also lengthen the life of your truck. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of snake oil any day of the week.

For God’s sake NO! The sound of the words “touch-up paint” always make me cringe. Fixing a scratch in your car’s paint with a cheap bottle of touch-up is like fixing a piece of electronics with a hammer. It might work, but it also might ruin how the thing looks.

Unless the scratch is HUGE, the standard touch-up paint in the bottle is a bad idea. It’s hard to apply (unless you’ve got experience) and it’s usually overkill. The good news is that there are some methods that will remove or greatly reduce the appearance of the scratch on your new car, and they’re surprisingly inexpensive.

The best way to fix a light scratch is called “wet sanding”. Essentially, a paint pro will do an EXTREMELY light sanding on the scratch which will reorganize the paint/clear-coat molecules and make the scratch “disappear” — provided of course the scratch isn’t too big or too deep. This will usually cost very little - some scratch repair pros will fix every scratch on your car for $100 or less.

How do you know if a scratch is too big to wet sanded?

• Are we talking about a scratch that you can easily feel with a fingernail? If so, it’s too big.
• Does the scratch run the length of a whole body panel? If it does, you may not be able to wet-sany.
• Can you see any metal in the scratch? Sometimes you can see white or gray in the scratch, but that’s usually primer. We’re looking for actual metal here. If you see metal, you’ve definitely got a deep scratch.

If any of the above is true, you have what is considered a “deep scratch” and the solution is to take your car to your local body shop. If your car has been keyed and/or an entire panel is scratched, you may want to call your insurance company. The cost of repairing deep and or big scratches can range, from less than a hundred dollars to a few thousand. Make sure you get a few quotes if it’s much more than $100 to fix your scratch.
If the scratch is light, your local body shop should be able to fix it up for less than $50. Make sure the shop you’re going to us has a written guarantee and that you understand it. Usually the person repairing your car will tell you what it’s going to look like when they’re done.

Finally, make sure you realize that either one of the above methods will greatly diminish the appearance of the scratch, but that a scratch in a factory paint job can’t truly be “fixed”. It’s never going to look perfect, but if you hire a professional, it will be hard for anyone to see it and no one will know about it but you.

What can a person do in this situation? Since the part is not 5 years old yet, isn’t there something the dealer can do to warranty this repair?

The good news is there’s something called “after-warranty-assistance” for people in this situation - provided the person with the problem is the vehicle’s original owner (if you bought the car used this won’t help you). After warranty assistance won’t cover all your costs, but it might make a big dent in the total bill.

Basically, after-warranty-assistance (AWA) is an un-official program between a car manufacturer and their dealer (most large automakers offer some version of this program). Under an AWA claim, a dealer can offer a reduced labor rate and/or free parts on something that failed outside the terms of the warranty, provided there’s some “gray” area in terms of miles and/or years. For instance, when I was managing at a Ford dealership, I once got Ford to cover a broken A/C compressor on a used Explorer. The SUV was 5 years old, but it only had 20k miles. So even though it was outside the time limit on the 3/36 warranty, it was inside the miles (these were the days before Ford’s 5yr/60k mile powertrain warranty). I remember the service manager working with me on a couple of high miles vehicles that were less than 3 years old. Same goes for my time at a Toyota dealer.

Typically AWA is granted on a percentage basis – from 20% of the cost of the uncovered repair all the way up to 100%. If you’re still inside part of your manufacturer’s warranty (or even if you’re just outside it) you’ve got a shot at AWA.

If you want to improve your chances of being granted some AWA from your local dealer, I would suggest the following:

-    Pull all your maintenance and repair records for your vehicle. Hopefully you’ve had this work done at your local dealer. This will prove you take care of your car and that you’re a loyal customer.
-    If you own or have owned any other vehicles of the same make (GM, Ford, Dodge, etc.), make copies of the registration for each. This will show the manufacturer you are a long term owner of their product.
-    Be nice to the people at the dealership – these AWA requests take a lot of work on their end. If they don’t like you, you’re not going to get much help.
-    Follow up with the dealership’s GM and service manager – these are the two people with the most power to help you.
-    Explain that you understand you’re going to have some out of pocket expenses. Even if the dealer can’t get AWA from the manufacturer, they might be willing to split some labor costs with you in the interest of customer service.

If none of this works (or if you aren’t the original owner of this vehicle with the problem), you might ask the dealer about what they can do towards a trade-in. Maybe the service and sales departments can work out a way to get you full value for your vehicle, even though it needs an expensive repair.

If you want to keep your vehicle, a local independent repair shop might be able to cut your bill in half. They might be able to get you a refurbished part as well. The service advisors at your local dealership can probably recommend a couple of places that do good work for less money (with a little buttering up).

Have a service problem that you’d like some advice with? Contact us!

I took my truck in to be fixed and was told it needed a new exhaust system along with a new catalytic converter. I was told the reason the truck was running poorly was that the catalytic converter was clogged. The work was performed, but the problem remains.

The truck is still in the shop while they try to figure out what’s wrong with it. I’m sure you’re aware that replacing an entire exhaust system along with the catalytic converter isn’t cheap. Since the truck wasn’t loud as a result of the bad exhaust, and since there aren’t any state regulated emissions tests where I live, I wouldn’t have replaced the exhaust system if it wasn’t causing the problem.

How would you suggest I handle this situation when I am presented with the bill for the new exhaust?

Typically, when a vehicle is running poorly and the exhaust is suspected, the 02 (oxygen) sensor is to blame. While I have heard of a clogged catalytic converter before, it’s not terribly common. I’m not sure if it was a bad diagnosis, but the repair shop might have determined the catalytic wasn’t the problem by pulling it off and checking your truck’s performance without it. That would have been a good way to verify their diagnosis without making you pay for a bunch of parts. Of course, that’s only true if your exhaust system was in good shape. If it was completely rusted out (which is possible – obviously I’ve never seen it), they did the right thing. An extremely rusted exhaust should be replaced. It’s only a matter of time until rust flakes clog your catalytic, muffler, etc. It’s also tough to pull any parts off a rusted exhaust without breaking something. The steel is just too brittle.

As for your next step, the first thing you should know is that you probably own all those new parts. Unfortunately they can’t be pulled off and returned. You can try and get the parts for free, but my opinion is the best you can hope for is a discount on the parts cost. You can find out exactly what parts have been added and then call around to some auto parts stores and get some price quotes for them. Most repair shops will mark-up the price of the parts they sell you – if you can find the parts cheaper somewhere else than I would present that information to the shop manager and try to get a discount (assuming they charged you more).

Regarding the labor that went into the unsuccessful repair, it should be free. However, if it shows up on the bill, I would speak with the shop manager. I would explain to him or her in a calm and reasonable manner that while you appreciate that vehicle repair isn’t an exact science, you feel the mechanic made a mistake and recommended the wrong service. I would then request a discount on the parts and ask that all the labor associated with the new exhaust should be free. I would also explain that you would like to continue to work with this shop in the future. A good shop will do as you ask.

Unfortunately, the labor probably isn’t the bulk of your costs, so I don’t know how much this will save you.

If you don’t have any luck with that, it starts to get a little more difficult. If you’re working with a dealership, you should go straight to the general manager. If you’re working with an independent shop and they don’t respond, my next call would be to your local Better Business Bureau to file a complaint. Sometimes this will get results – business owners are more likely to respond when they see that their reputation is on the line. It’s even possible that the state attorney general would investigate if the shop you’re working with has a history of making unnecessary repairs – something the better business bureau can tell you.

In short, it’s an excellent idea. When I worked in the car business, I was constantly working with shipping companies to move vehicles around the country. I worked at a smaller dealership with limited inventory, so I was often contracting companies to pick up brand new vehicles we had sold to a local customer through a “dealer locate.” Most of the time, these dealerships were just a few hundred miles away. Occasionally, I would need to order transport for much farther (I once needed a vehicle delivered to a customer in Alaska, and I’ve also bought a couple in the middle of Ohio for shipment to Denver). I wish I had known about this website then. I think it would have saved my dealership some money (and me some profit).

The only thing I can say about the service (because I haven’t used it) is that it doesn’t look like they have many bidders signed up yet - at least in the vehicle shipping category. There are a lot of posts for shipping vehicles, but most don’t have bids. None the less, of the handful of bids I looked at, the prices seemed pretty reasonable (based on my experience).

So, if you’re thinking about shipping your vehicle across country, it can’t hurt to post a listing on uShip. It also looks like you can list postings for more than cars too - so it seems worth checking out. Here’s the link:

uShip Auto Transport

Anyone have any experience with uShip? Please comment below.

If you’re looking at a diesel engine, you’re probably impressed with their combination of power and fuel efficiency. Modern diesel engines are also environmentally friendly and fairly low maintenance. Europeans have enjoyed diesel powered vehicles for years, and they’re finally starting to catch on in the United States. Considering all their benefits, it’s quite possible that diesel engines will one day be more popular than gas engines. Since most U.S. drivers have limited experience with diesel engines, here are some tips for new diesel drivers.

1) Nearly all new diesel engines come equipped with a turbo-charger. Think of a turbo-charger as a jet engine - it forces outside air into the engine and increases efficiency and performance. Turbo-chargers are very powerful, so great care must be taken to make sure the air entering the turbo-charger is clean and clear of debris. Therefore, it’s important that the air filter on your diesel is clean and changed often. Most manufacturers equip their vehicles with electronic sensors that will tell you to check or replace your air filter, and when this sensor tells you to change the air filter, do so immediately. If you ignore this warning, you could damage your engine.

2) Diesel fuel isn’t as clean and pure as gasoline, so the fuel filter in a diesel is very important. Again, your car has sensors that will warn you if the fuel filter becomes clogged, and you should react to these warnings quickly. If you fail to change a clogged diesel fuel filter, it could leave you stranded on the side of the road. Also, keep in mind that diesel fuel filters need changed a little more often than gas fuel filters, so don’t be surprised if you have to replace your diesel’s fuel filter ahead of schedule. That’s perfectly normal.

3) Here’s some shocking news for new diesel owners — in addition to being less pure than gasoline, diesel fuel also contains water. Even though small amounts of water will not hurt your diesel engine, nearly all modern diesels are equipped with water/fuel separators. Depending upon your vehicle, you may need to purge the water from your diesel’s fuel system manually. Check your owner’s manual for instructions on how to do this and to find out how often it should be done. The good news is that many service facilities will perform this task for you at little or no charge (as well as the dispose of the water/fuel mixture in an environmentally friendly way).

4) Diesel engines are often referred to as “oil burners” because, unlike gasoline engines, diesel engines typically burn some of the engine’s lubricating oil during normal operation. That’s why it’s especially important to check your diesel’s oil level between oil changes. To check the oil, make sure the engine has cooled for at least 30 mins and that the vehicle is level. Your owner’s manual will explain when you should add oil based on the engine’s dipstick reading.

5) Diesel engines don’t like cold temperatures. At low temperatures, diesel engines tend to start harshly and warm-up very slowly. At extremely low temperatures (below -10 F) diesel engines may not function at all. Therefore, it’s very important to remember to use your diesel’s block heater if outside temps ever dip below zero. The block heater is nothing more than an electrical plug on your car that uses your home’s electricity to keep your engine warm, and it’s as simple as plugging your car in at night. If you can afford the electricity, you can plug-in your block heater any time the outside temperature dips below freezing. This will protect your engine and make for quick and smooth start-ups, and it will help your engine warm-up quickly. Check your owner’s manual for your block heater’s location.

6) While all new engines have a short break-in period, new diesel engines usually have a break-in period that lasts 500 or 1000 miles (check your manual to find out). Usually, the manufacturer recommends that you avoid driving at sustained speeds (i.e. long trips on the highway) during this period. Additionally, most manufacturers suggest you not tow or haul anything during this period as well. Once the initial break-in is over, it’s not uncommon for your diesel to continue to improve in power and efficiency for the first 20k or 30k miles. Unlike gas motors, which often stop improving in power and efficiency after 3k to 5k miles, diesels need lots of time and use to reach their peak efficiency and performance. In fact, most long-time diesel owners will tell you that their engine didn’t really start to truly perform until a year or two after they bought it.

To summarize, it’s very important that new or first-time diesel owners review their engine manual. In addition to normal vehicle maintenance, diesel owners should keep a close eye on their air and fuel filter warnings, they should always check engine oil between oil changes, purge water from the fuel system as required, and remember to plug-in the block heater any time outside temperatures drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit. When you do all these extra tasks, your diesel engine will reward you with power, great fuel economy, and 200,000+ miles of good service.