Car Insurance

Vehicles need to be in good shape too before a trip. Getting stuck or broken-down in the great outdoors is much less convenient than in the city.

For off-road travel, four wheel drive vehicles are preferred. Vehicles with high ground clearance, e.g. pick-up trucks, are often OK. Cars are occassionally acceptable (be sure of conditions if you must go in a car). The items below are intended for the vehicle and are above and beyond the supplies brought for people.

Make sure your vehicle’s fluid levels are correct before you leave and there are no leaks. Things to bring: tire pump (car battery driven ones are nice), Safety Seal Tire Plugger Kit, car cover, shovel, fuses, jumper cables, a good jack, a 1 ft. X 1 ft. piece of plywood (to support the jack in soft sand), a 1 ft. X 5 ft. roll of chicken wire or carpeting (for traction in soft sand), 30 ft. of 500 lb. min. test chain with hooks, duct tape, electrical tape, fire extinguisher, two quarts of motor oil, 1 gallon of water, 1 gallon of anti- freeze, one quart of transmission fluid, one pint of power steering fluid and one pint of brake fluid. Bring extra gas in a gas can (with funnel or pour spout) if your internal tank provides insufficient range. Bring some tools to do minor repair work. Screwdrivers, open and box end wrenches, tire pressure gauge, etc. are recommended.

All hoses and belts must be in good shape (no chunking, leaks, bulges, splits or unusual wear). The duct tape mentioned above can be used to seal hose leaks. The spare belts will allow the vehicle to be driven if a critical belt (water pump or alternator) breaks.

The battery must be in good shape and fully charged. Be sure the specific gravity (acid density) is correct and the cells are full. The terminals should clean, e.g. no corrosion build-up. The battery should not be near the end of its service life.

The vehicle’s suspension must be tight. Lubrication (grease those zerk fittings) is a normal part of routine maintenance and will help prevent problems.

A car cover or window shade will help keep internal temperatures down.

All tires must have good tread, adequate air pressure and don’t leak. Tires with thin tread, high or low air pressure are more easily cut by sharp rocks. Make sure the spare has adequate air and is in good shape also.

Your best protection from getting stuck is to TRAVEL IN PAIRS. One vehicle can pull the other out of a ditch. Use the chain with hooks to pull the stuck vehicle out. The carpeting and digging mentioned below will also help. Attach the hooks to the frame or other special attachment points. Do not attach it to (most) bumpers or suspensions. Do not jerk the chain as vehicle frames can be bent. Rope is not recommended as it can spring back and harm people standing nearby. A blanket draped over the middle of the rope or chain during pull-out can minimize springback. Chain has very minimal springback. Wire rope has enough springback to take precautions. Fiber rope and nylon straps are very dangerous and shouldn’t be used. They can spring back and go right through your leg.

If you get stuck and don’t have a winch or another vehicle, follow this procedure: Dig the excess sand out from the front of the wheels. Tamp the remaining sand down hard in front of the wheels. Lay chicken wire or carpeting just in front of the drive wheels. Let about half the air out of the tires. Keep your steering pointing straight ahead and drive slowly out. Try not to spin the tires or you might dig yourself deeper. Don’t let anyone stand behind the vehicle while trying to get out. They could get hit by items ejected by the drive wheels. Drive slowly but steadily to the nearest firm surface. Refill the tires with the pump.

Off-road driving is forbidden in most areas. Park within 25 ft. of the edge of the road where feasible.

One central argument between car enthusiasts and on Internet car forums alike is what oil is better for your car, synthetic or conventional. Before synthetic oils became available for regular automobiles, the argument centered solely on brand types and weight. But now, with the advent of these synthetics all over the market, what is truly the best choice for your engine? Let’s explore both of these worlds to find out.

Conventional oil is rated according to a SAE system. This scale is used so that you know what type of oil is best for your car given the environmental conditions (temperature, city driving, etc.) of where you live. The first number, for example on 10W30 motor oil, is 10 followed by a “W”. This “W” indicates that the number before it is the viscosity rating of the oil. The lower this number, the better the oil is for colder climates. The higher the number, the better it is for hotter driving conditions.

Synthetic oils, on the other hand (before their commercial release) were used in many military vehicles and fighter jets. Airlines also use synthetics in their engines. The synthetic oil has been designed not to break down as quickly and can tolerate extremities in temperature and weather (hot to cold).

One of the major differences between conventional and synthetic oils is that synthetics are treated with more additives that protect your engine for a longer amount of time before you have to change it. And, while we don’t want to get into all the molecular chemistry involved in the making of these oils, we should mention that they also last longer in hotter conditions and won’t “gel” in colder ones, like conventional oil. In other words, synthetics have more additives, which greatly protect the car from viscosity breakdown. They are designed to withstand temperature extremes. It may be safe to say that extreme driving conditions call for the use of synthetics.

On the financial side of the matter, synthetics cost a whole lot more; up to three or four times as much as regular conventional oil. But, the wonderful thing is that you don’t have to change your oil every 3,000 miles; recommended with conventional oil use. In fact, you may not have to change it until well after 25,000 and up to 50,000 miles as long as the oil filter is changed every 10,000 miles. So, the cost at first might scare consumers away, but the long-term benefits of synthetic oil use are substantial.

However, you will still have to be responsible for your car’s maintenance check-up every 3,000 miles or so. With regular oil-changes, you are automatically checking over the car for other problems (or if you don’t an inspection mechanic does). It might help you find a problem that could be dealt with, that could’ve gone unchecked. Also, you’ll want to check the synthetic oil every now and then to be sure that it isn’t contaminated and/or that there isn’t any moisture build-up.

With normal everyday driving, perhaps conventional oils work best for you. You aren’t driving in extreme conditions and you swear allegiance to regular oil. That may be fine. Synthetic oil cannot really offer you anything that conventional oil cannot under normal operating conditions. However, the definition of extreme driving states that if you do a lot of short driving (two to twenty miles) daily, it’s hard on your car. And, specialists agree that this constitutes extreme driving due to the faster breakdown of the structure of conventional oil.

Another major reason that many are choosing the synthetic route is that it contains fewer impurities; impurities that can cause your engine harm, perhaps to the point of premature engine wear. With conventional oil, there’s no way to totally rid, filter or clean the impurities from the natural elements. That’s another reason why synthetic oils do not have to be changed as much even in extreme driving conditions.

College bound? Here is one more item to add to your checklist before heading off to campus this fall: a vehicle checkup.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) recommends that you make sure your vehicle is in good working condition. Unless you are a dedicated do-it-yourselfer, you’ll want to find a reputable shop to take care of maintenance and service for you.

ASE, a nonprofit organization that tests and certifies automotive technicians, offers the following tips on choosing a repair facility.

* Start shopping for a repair facility before you need one.

* Ask your friends and associates for their recommendations or consult local consumer groups.

* Arrange for transportation in advance so you will not feel forced to choose a shop based on its location.

* Look for a neat, well-organized facility, with vehicles in the parking lot equal in value to your own and modern equipment in the service areas.

* Look for a courteous staff, with a service consultant willing to answer all of your questions.

* Check the shop’s policies regarding estimated repair costs, diagnostic fees, guarantees and acceptable methods of payment.

* Ask if the repair facility specializes or if it usually handles your type of repair work.

* Look for signs of professionalism in the customer service area, such as civic, community or customer service awards.

* Look for evidence of qualified technicians, such as trade school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and certification by ASE.

People across the country are packing up their cars and hitting the road for their summer vacations. But with gas prices on the rise and AAA predicting more than 7.5 million vehicle breakdowns over the warmer months, it’s important to make sure that your vehicle is prepared.

Firestone Tire & Service Centers provide these tips to get your vehicle ready to hit the road.

Begin by taking your car to a certified automotive technician for a full checkup to ensure that the engine, battery, exhaust system and cooling system are in good working order and the main fluids are filled to the recommended levels. You can find a technician in your area by visiting www.MasterCareUSA.com.

This is the perfect time of year to check your vehicle’s cooling system. The cooling system of most cars requires a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze, which should be flushed once every two years. Have a technician determine if your car is ready for a system flush; this preventive maintenance step can save you from an inconvenient roadside breakdown and a big repair bill in the future.

It also is essential to make sure that your tires are properly inflated, rotated, aligned and replaced as necessary. Under-inflated tires will actually decrease your vehicle’s gas mileage and shorten the life of your tires. A label on the driver’s inside door jamb, glove compartment door or fuel door lists recommended tire pressures for different speeds and loads. Never use the “max pressure” number found on the sidewall of your tire.

Feeling the pinch at the pump? With record high gasoline prices, many drivers are concerned about their vehicles’ fuel economy. The good news is that a simple maintenance procedure can help motorists improve their gas mileage.

“One of the easiest ways to substantially enhance a vehicle’s fuel efficiency is to change a dirty air filter,” said Susan Groom, leader of product engineering for FRAM. “It’s a quick and simple task that practically anyone can perform.”

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing a dirty air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Based on an assumed fuel price of $2.20 per gallon, that equals a cost savings of up to 22 cents per gallon.

FRAM, a leader in automotive filtration for more than 70 years, manufactures a variety of air filters for virtually any vehicle. Motorists can simply select the air filters that fit their vehicles and driving styles and, in less than 15 minutes, they can replace an old or dirty air filter to help improve their vehicles’ performance.

A basic air filter, such as the FRAM Extra Life Air Filter, is ideal for the average motorist who commutes to work, frequents local stores and occasionally embarks on long road trips.

Truck and SUV owners who want extreme engine protection should look for the FRAM Tough Guard Air Filter, which has advanced features designed to withstand the tough driving conditions that trucks and SUVs often encounter.

Motorists who desire high performance benefits, such as increased engine airflow for better vehicle horsepower, will likely need the FRAM AirHog Air Filter. This washable and reusable filter is designed to last the life of a vehicle and provides drivers with a cost savings of more than $200 in regularly scheduled filter changes.