Spring Car Care ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TheReview Wednesday, April 25,1990 — _B9 Emergency kit can Don’t overlook the car’s floorboards be a big life-saver Car emergency kit can be a lifesaver during winter. Twenty-five cents for a phone call could be crucial in getting a much-needed rescue in the case of breakdown or accident. Not all phones take credit cards. Mo- ney for a tow truck or other emergency service could also speed up salvation. Some old winter boots and warm gloves can keep the bitter cold out. A warm blanket or sleeping bag is high on CAA’s list of emergency gear. Wrapping up is more effective than heating up with gadgets such as heaters that plug into the car’s cigarette lighter. Candles can provide heat and light in some situations. But be careful. We don’t recommend lighting candles for heat in an emergen- cy. If the vehicle’s fuel line is damaged, striking a match could cause a fire. To stave off the cold, experts suggest travelling with a va- cuum jug filled with hot coffee or other warming beverage. According to CAA and the safety league, every car should carry the following items for emergency use: e Flares (about $7 for a package of three) or a reflective triangle (about $12). Should you have a flat tire or breakdown, place the triangle or flares behind the car. Place one about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 metres) and a second one about 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 metres) behind the car. The more warn- ing drivers have, the less likely you are to be hit. e Traction aids ($10 to $20) help motorists get out of slippery, snowpacked spots. e A bag of sand (about $2) proy- ides excellent traction when needed. Do not carry road salt for emergency use. If it spills inside the car, it could cause corrosion. Problems with your brakes? Here are some things which may indicate a problem with your brakes, according to Allied Aftermarket Division, which markets Fram, Bendix and Autolite products: e A spongy feeling in the pedal. This may indicate that air has gotten into tghe brake fluid, ixiking it less efficient. e The pedal throbs when press- ed. Throbbing can be caused by a problem with brake drums or rotors. Drums press against rotors to slow the car, and when the contact surfaces are uneven, throbbing occurs. ¢ Brake fade. The driver notices that it takes longer to slow from one speed to another when using the brakes. It often occurs when there is frequent braking during rush hour traffic situations. Heat is the :nost common rea- son for fading. Support Your Lung Association -e Extra winter clothing. Plastic garbage bags can also be pressed into service in an emer- gency. Poke holes for head and arms and slip over the body to conserve heat. © Non-perishable food. Candy bars and fruit leathers can supply the extra calories requir- ed to survive the cold. e Always carry a flashlight, windshield scraper and snow brush. e Keep replacement fuses (90 cents each) in an accessible place. A burned-out fuse could cripple windshield wipers or other essential equipment. © Carry extra windshield wash- er fluid. Running out of the ice- melting solvent in the middle of the night may mean no refill and poor visibility. © Pack booster cables ($16 to $36). Without means for a boost, you could be immobilized with a dead or weak battery. © Pack all emergency gear in one bag so it is easy to find. In addition to preparing for emergencies, winter drivers should be extra vigilant about car maintenance. Tires perform best when over- inflated by about 10 per cent or two pounds. Be sure the gas tank is full or nearly full, that all fluid levels are normal and that all motor belts are tight before leaving home. Should an accident occur and your car become stuck, avoid the temptation to walk for help unless you are sure shelter and a telephone are close. Stay with your car, tie a color- ed cloth or scarf on your antenna and turn on your flashers. Then use your survival kit. If you want to keep the motor and heater running, take pre- cautions to prevent carbon mo- noxide poisoning. A damaged exhaust system could leak poisonous fumes. Open a win- dow slightly to aid ventilation. The floor is an area drivers repairs. On many modern cars, the floor acts as the frame, giving the body its rigidity. If the floor is allowed to weaken from rust, the body will sag in the middle. Once the car doors will not close properly, it is too late to start repairs. As soon as you detect a weak spot or hole in the floor, you must remove the rust and strengthen the area. You can weld in a new piece of sheet metal over the weakened area which offers the most strength of all other forms of repairs. WILL WORK LOOSE The easiest repair method for the average do-it-yourself car owner is to bolt the sheet metal over the rusted area. The secret is to use as many bolts as you can to strengthen the floor. Just laying a piece of metal over the rust hole will do nothing to save the floor. Using fibreglass to repair the floor is not recommended. It will work loose after a short period of body flexing. Another area to check for structural rust problems are the shock absorber towers and fire- wall areas in the engine compartment. Once advanced rusting has taken place around the front shock towers, the body integrity is severely weakened. The front wheels will lean in- wards at the top and it will be impossible to perform a wheel alignment. A minor accident or even a hard contact with the sidewalk can twist the frame of the car out of alignment. An automobile with severe shock tower rust should be removed from the roads. If a tower breaks free while on the highway,.loss of steering control is common. RECYCLE “A TheReview Sa Structural rust is expensive Undercoating or repeated oiling often overlook when it comes to and often impossible to repair. 1S the only way to solve the pro- Prevention in the form of blem. DAN WOODS AUTOMATICS \\ ,.. TRANSMISSIONS =ARE OUR BUSINESS NOT A SIDELINE TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS G7*IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT” MON. - FRI.8am-5pm 652-2132 se 832 VERDIER, BRENTWOOD BA | Saturdays 8 am - 12 noon(1/2 Block From The Mill Bay Ferry) wy SHELL Plus Parts COOLING 40% Labour Only or Less for Most 4 Cylinder Cars An untuned engine can cause poor gas mileage and starting problems. Iwo items in particular affect your car's fuel economy: spark plugs and air filters. These should be changed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendation. X*NOTE: ALL PARTS EXTRA LUBRICATION and OIL & FILTER 16 POINT CAR CARE INSPECTION * Up to 5 Litres 10w30 oil - New Oil Filter = Metric Filters Extra + Most cars/ight trucks SERVICE and FLUSH SPECIAL so Aes THIS SPECIAL OR INCLUDES: LESS + PRESSURE TEST SYSTEM MOST. CARS & * CHECK THE HEARTER HOSES, LIGHT TRUCKS RAD CAP, FAN BELTS AND RECOVERY SYSTEM » FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM HARBOUR SHELL TUNE-UP SPECIAL Qe Labour Only Labour Only or Less for Most or Less for Most 6 Cylinder Cars V6 or V8 Cylinder Plus Parts Cars Plus Paris EXTRA LABOUR CHARGE ON VANS $7995 \ SYSTEM x Labour Only Parts and Antifreeze Extra * Complete Automotive Service * All work conditionally guaranteed * Modern technology * 5 Gov’t licensed mechanics SINCE 1947 BRENTWOOD BAY ART BOLSTER & SONS LTD. FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED * Old-fashioned service * Designated inspection facility ART BOLSTER & SONS LTD. THREE GENERATIONS OF SERVICE 652-1041 MON. 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