Automotive Connection
By Rob Avanti

Find Yourself An Honest Repair Shop And Stick With Them

Welcome New Connection magazine readers.  Let me introduce myself.  My name is Rob
Avanti, owner of Rob's Auto Service.  Let me start by saying, I am in no way, shape or form a writer.  The last thing I probably wrote, other than a birthday card, was a high school English paper.  That said, I am going to attempt to write a little something each month automotive
related that may be of some interest to the readers of this column.

The first and most important thing you should do if you own any vehicle is find yourself a trustworthy repair shop and stick with them.  Ask a friend if they have a repair shop they use
and are happy with. Once you find a shop, try to use them religiously for all your service needs.  Try not to use the quick lube type shops for your oil changes.  The problem with those type of places is that they only sell you the services that they perform.  They don't look at important things such as brakes, tires, belts + suspension components.  You can leave a quick lube shop, and 2 days later your brakes go metal to metal causing what could have been a very inexpensive job to be a very costly one.

Every car that comes in my shop gets a thorough going over to evaluate the condition of the vehicle.  I then advise the customer what I feel needs immediate attention, what they need six months, or a year down the road.  If you perform these preventative maintenance services you should save yourself money in the long run, and never worry about breaking down.

For any of you that believe that you have to go to the dealer for service because your car is under warrantee, that is not true.  As long as you perform the necessary oil changes as per your owners manual, and get receipts, you are fine.  One other thing I don't like about the dealers
are their so called scheduled services.  Lets take a 15k mile service for example.  It is an oil change, tire rotation and a list of check, check, check items and they charge $150.00 for what is basically a glorified oil change.  Be careful of any of these type services.  You are throwing
away your money.  We perform all of these checks every time the vehicle comes in.

If you have any questions, or comments, feel free to call me, email me or write me.  I may even respond to any interesting question in next months column.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to my opinions.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Should You Get An Extended Warrantee?

If you are in the market for a new car, I do not recommend purchasing a warrantee from the dealer.  The major reason for this is because your new car will come with a minimum of a 3 year or 36K mile bumper to bumper warrantee from the factory.  Why should you pay for something you wont need for around 3 years?  Another reason is because you may sell the car, the car may unfortunately be stolen or totaled in an accident and you will be out the money you spent on the warrantee. 

If you are buying a used car from a dealer or private party, I would recommend, on most cars,
an extended warrantee.  There are several companies out there that are very good and a few
that are just plain bad.  Look online for prices and coverage's to compare.  The best one I found
 is called Warranty Direct.  All companies have different plans and deductibles.  Try to keep around a $100.00 deductible.  As far as the length and mileage, that depends on how long you
are going to keep your vehicle, and how many miles you drive.

Another reason I believe you should go with an outside warrantee company is it gives you the option to go to the dealer, or the repair shop of your choice.  If a customer comes to me with an extended warrantee, depending on the repair, I can usually save the customer the deductible
just by how I word the bill to the warrantee company.  The dealer is usually not going to go out
of their way to save the customer anything.  Some of the other, "not so good" warrantee companies will work their contracts so that some parts are not covered unless they are completely broken.  This means that if you come in and I tell you your ball joints are worn out
and have a lot of play, even if they are under warrantee, they will not pay for the repair until
they break.  This is unacceptable.

I find that an average of 7 year 100K mile bumper to bumper warrantee can range from around $1000.00 to around $2000.00 depending on the type of vehicle you have and whether or not your car still has an existing warrantee.

Lastly, I don't feel every car needs an extended warrantee. Some really reliable foreign cars do not have enough common mechanical issues to warrant the cost of getting one.

If you have any questions about a warrantee, or about a vehicle, feel free to call me anytime, or email me.

The warrantee company I like best is called Warranty Direct. The phone number is
1-800-632-4222. Dial extension 1418 and ask for Frank Crougar.  He has been very helpful to
all of my customers and their company is the easiest to deal with as far as their adjusters.  Tell Frank, Robert Avanti, from Rob's Auto Service referred you.

Thanks for listening to my opinions. 

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Is Your Check Engine Light On?

If you have an amber check engine, or service soon light on, your vehicle is telling you there
is a problem.  It may be something as simple as a loose gas cap, or something like a bad oxygen sensor that could be robbing your fuel economy.

It is very important to get it checked out as soon as possible to prevent other problems.  For instance, if you have a bad sensor that causes the fuel system to dump too much fuel, you can ruin your oxygen sensors and even clog your cat converter or converters.  Some cars have up
to 4 oxygen sensors at a cost of $250.00 a piece.  That's $1000.00 in parts alone plus labor and some cat converter assemblies can cost up to $3000.00.  If you have a car that is dumping too much fuel it can damage these parts in as little as an hour of driving.

Some shops charge from around $75.00 to upwards of $120.00 just to pull codes out of your vehicle computer plus diagnostic time on top of that.  We usually charge around $39.95.  It is
well worth the money to find out if you  have a minor, or major problem.

If your car is coming due for a NYS inspections, and it is a 1996 or newer and the engine light is on, it fails inspection.  Get your car in before your inspection is due because, even after your car is repaired, and your light is turned off, it has to be driven for several days before the computer monitors care deemed ready to let the car pass inspection.

Gasoline prices have tripled in the last 5 years.  You can significantly improve your fuel economy by having your cars computer system work properly.  Get it fixed soon and save the money in
the long run.

I will be offering a special price of just $20.00 to scan your computer to the readers of this magazine.  Just tell me that you read this article.

Thanks for reading my opinion. 

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Lets Fix The Driver

Every month I will try to discuss a little something about maintaining your car.  This month I
will try something a little different.

How many times can you honestly say that you reached your destination without getting annoyed by another driver? If your like me, not many.  It seems like there are a lot of drivers that don't seem to know the rules of the road, and or exhibit any common courtesy toward other drivers. 
I am not trying to offend anyone here, I am just trying to reiterate a few rules of the road.

Lets start with this.  That stick that comes out of the left side of the steering wheel column, this
is called a turn signal switch.  This is suppose to be used prior to a turn to let other drivers
know what you intend to do.  I see a lot of drivers like to signal as they start their turn.  Don't bother.  By this time, I have almost hit you and I am already mad at you.  Please, signal at least 50 yards before you intend to turn.

Turning lanes are another thing that I think some people don't know exist.  These are the lanes between the normal traffic.  If you intend to turn 100 yards or so down the road, signal first,
then enter this lane in advance so as your whole car is in this lane while you are waiting to make your turn.  This allows for all the other cars to safely pass you without having to stop.

Let now discuss the left lane on the freeways.  This is actually a passing lane.  This is not a lane to get into and drive 55 MPH till you reach your exit.  If you are in the left lane, you had better be traveling at a greater rate of speed than the cars in the lane to your right.  How many times
do you approach a car in front of you traveling at a much slower speed than you, and you see them smiling in the rear view mirror enjoying the fact that you now have to maneuver around them.  This is one of the causes of road rage and ultimately what causes accidents.  Drivers get frustrated and then start to do things they otherwise would not attempt to get around the driver
in front of them.  This is unsafe.  Please, if you want to drive at your own slow pace, do so in the middle or right lane. Thank You.

High beam headlights.  These re to be used when there are no cars in front of you, or when there is no oncoming traffic.  Maybe you don't even know you have them on.  That blue light starring
at you on your dashboard, this means that your high beams are on.  Please turn them off when you are around other cars.  This is very unsafe.  These blind other drivers and can cause an accident.  If you have a headlight out, don't turn your high beams on just so you won't get a ticket.  Just replace the bulb. Please.

Lastly, cell phones, make up, food, screaming kids, etc.  Every driver is different.  I admit I will sometimes use my cell phone, or eat while I am driving down the road.  Some drivers have different abilities and may be able to multi task, and some surely do not.  Please use your best judgment when doing these things while driving.  If you have to put your makeup on, please do
it at a light.  If your cell phone rings while you are taking a bite of your cheeseburger while you are making a left turn, maybe you should not answer the phone.  If you are 18 years old, just got your license, and you have 3 of your friends in the car with you, please, let them call to find out what time the movie is playing.

I hope none of my comments offended anyone.  I am just trying to state a bunch of common complaints I hear from drivers everyday.  If we all tried to be a little more courteous on the roads, everybody would be a lot happier and safer on the roads.

Thanks for listening.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Does Your Car Have Over 60K Miles?

If your car has 60K miles or more there are several things you may need to do.  Most important is to have  your timing belt replaced if 60K miles is the specified mileage for replacement. 
Most cars have what you call an interference engine.  What that means is, if your timing belt breaks, some valves are left open while the pistons are still coming up.  They then hit and bend the valves and sometimes puncture your engine.  On some cars it may be a good idea to replace the water pump at the same time, since the majority of the labor is done while doing the timing belt.  Also it is a good idea to replace the service belts since they will already be off the car and require no additional labor.

The next item in need of replacement could be your spark plus.  Most cars now have platinum spark plugs that are good for around 60K miles.  Some car makers say they are good till 100K mile, but I don't recommended this.  The plugs may not wear out but they are covered with deposits that build up lots of resistance that could cause a misfire.

The fuel filter is another thing that should be replaced.  This should be done at least every 30K miles.  This is very important because if it becomes restricted or clogged it can burn out your
fuel pump that in most cars is in the fuel tank and difficult to replace.  In some cars a fuel pump module can cost as much as $600.00 for the part alone.  Again, the fuel filter is much cheaper.

Now is a good time to replace your anti freeze.  Normal green type anti freeze should be changed every 2 or 3 years or 30K miles.  The red or extended life coolant I would change every 5 years or 60K miles.  On most newer type vehicles, coolant hoses don't seem to need replacing.

Don't forget your transmission fluid.  This also should be replaced every 30K miles on most
cars.  Replace fluid, filter and gasket at the same time.  Make sure your shop checks to see if your car has a tranny dip stick.  Believe it or not, on some cars you cannot replace the fluid. 
The car must go to the dealer or there is a very involved method to refill the transmission.

Check your owners manual to determine when your differential fluids, and or transfer case fluid in 4WD vehicles should be replaced at this point.

One of the items that makes the biggest difference in keeping your car running like new is to have a fuel injection cleaning and engine decarbonization done.  This keeps everything clean
like when the car was new and dramatically increase fuel economy.

I check brakes, tires, + suspensions every time a vehicle comes in to my shop, so this is a good time to have these thing checked also.

This may seem like a lot of work, but, this service can run from as little as $200.00 if your car does not have a timing belt, to over $700.00 or more on some cars.  This really is not alt of
money when you look at what new cars cost.  Once this service is performed your car should perform flawlessly for another 60K miles.

If anyone has any questions, or comments, feel free to call me or email me.
Thanks for your time.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787
 

Don't Be Scared

Don't be afraid to bring your car in to your mechanic for fear of receiving a large repair bill.  I know of some people that will only go to a quick lube service type shop for oil changes because they know that they will never get a bill over $100.00.  This is a big mistake by going to these type of shops.  You have no idea of the condition of the condition of some very important things like brakes, tires, if you have any steering parts that are ready to fall off your car.  Not only is this a safety issue, this will most certainly make the repair bill more expensive than it would
have been if you had taken care of it sooner.

If you go to a full service repair facility they will most likely look your car over every time it comes through the door.  Don't feel like they are just trying to take your money.  They are just trying to make you aware of things that need to be done to make your car safe and reliable.  If you go to a quick lube and they don't tell you that your brakes are just about to start grinding
into your rotors, you just doubled the cost of what could have been a simple brake job.  If you have a steering tie rod that is ready to fall out and they don't tell you, you will loose your
steering and could have an accident.  Any service other than a fluid or filter change the quick lube technician will not even be looking for and this could be costly to you.

I have said this many times, to many people.  Find yourself a regular repair shop that you can trust and stick with them.  If you are on a trip and have to go to a quick lube for an oil change, this is just fine.  But make sure you next service is done by your regular mechanic.  If you stick with your regular mechanic for all your auto service, you will save a bunch of money over time.  Don't shop around for the best price on a service you may need.  If you have an honest mechanic he will do the job you need for the proper price.  If you go to a discount place they will most
likely try to sell you something else to go along with the job that you may not need to make up
 for the cheap price they quoted you on the job.  You may spend an extra $10.00 for tires at your regular shop, but they may not try to sell you a wheel alignment that you might not really need.

If you don't trust your repair shop, find someone you can trust, ask a friend, or a neighbor who they use.  This is a good way to find an honest shop.  Most of my customers have come from word of mouth.  I treat every customer like I would a member of my own family.  I have never sold anything to anyone that they did not need.  I have people come in all the time telling me
they need brakes because the dealer said so.  But I find that they have 1 half the brakes left.
 No need to replace them now so save your money.  I do my best to diagnose problems properly without guessing with your money by buying parts you may not need.  Make sure any shop you go to has the proper knowledge and equipment to diagnose your car properly.

Thanks for listening to my opinions.  I hope I have been of some help to anyone who had any question of where to go for their automotive services.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787
 

Are Your Repair Bills Too High? 

Does it seem like your repair bills are higher than they should be?  This may be the case. 
Most people who have been going to a repair shop for a long time that they fully trust may not even realize they are paying too much.  I know of several very busy shops that sell their customers some things they may not need or charge a lot more for things than you really
should be paying.  In some cases, you may bring a vehicle in for a noise that may be caused by
a simple sway bar bushing, and the shop sells you a $400.00 set of struts.  The shop may even
be doing this unknowingly.  Sometimes the mechanic may think it’s the struts and replace them and still hear the noise after road testing the vehicle and then do what would have been the inexpensive job.  All of the Dodge Caravan type vehicles have this common problem.  If the vehicle has over 20K miles on it and has a rattling noise over bumps, it needs sway bar bushing.  This consists of a $15.00 part and approximately an hour of labor to install it.  A lot cheaper
than a set of struts that you did not need!

If you feel you are spending more than you should be, check into it.  Take a recent bill and call another shop for an estimate for the same job.  You may find that you paid way too much or you may be pleased to find you paid less.  Either way, just check it out to be sure you are not being taken advantage of.

There are a lot of cases where you may have a drive ability problem and three different mechanics may arrive at three different diagnoses.  This all depends on the ability of your shop
to diagnose your car properly.  Cars today are all about electronics.  It costs repair shops a
great deal of money to buy scanning equipment and maintain the software that comes with the scanner.  Some shops may not be willing to keep their scanners as up to date as they should
and this could cost you money.  Ask your shop if they have All Data or Mitchell On Demand.  These are two very essential vehicle data programs that you absolutely have to have to repair any late model car.  They help the technician diagnose all sorts of problems.  They have what’s called TSB’s, Technical Service Bulletins.  You may tell your mechanic that you have a rattle while going 32 mph around a left hand turn while hitting a bump.  This may be a hard thing to
find, but if your mechanic checks in all data, he will find a factory update to replace a defective bolt in the frame mount that otherwise he may have spent hours to find, or cost you money by replacing things that you did not need.

Please feel free to call or E-mail my shop with any questions or price comparisons you may
need.  Hopefully you will find that the shop you have been going to for years is doing the right thing and charging you a fair price for it.

Thanks for listening to my opinions.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Get Rid Of That Noise

Does your car just not sound and drive like when it was new?  There are several very common problems that could cause this even if your vehicle has under 20K miles.  One very popular vehicle that is prone to front end noises over bumps is the Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyage / Chry. Town and Country.  Every one of these vehicles that comes through my door with over
20K miles on it has a bad sway bar bushing.  It is an easy fix that can get rid of that awful rattling noise.  Some shops will try to sell you struts which are very expensive, and will not get rid of
the noise.  One other common problem with this vehicle as well as many others on the road is
a bad sway bar link.  This link is a ball and socket type design that goes bad all the time.  Years ago they used a busing type design that would last for years.  Of course there are several things that could cause noises.  A lot of Ford vehicles tend to make a moaning or creaking sound when turning at slow speeds.  This is mostly caused by the tie rod ends and in some cases, ball joints.  This happens because for in an effort to save around $1.00 per car decided not to install grease fittings.  After around 20 or 30K miles the joint dries out and starts making noise.

Some other issues that can cause noises and or a loose feeling over bump and dips in the road are when a shock absorber of a strut begins to fail.  In some cases this also can happen on vehicles with very low mileage.  In the last 2 years we have had a lot of snow and there for
their has been lots of pot holes.  One a good hit in a pot hole can cause a strut or shock to go bad.  In the last 2 years we have had several low mileage Hondas and Toyotas come in with a
bad strut.  This is something that should be repaired ASAP so as it does not ruin the tire.  It is also dangerous because after you hit a bump the tire keeps hopping which means you have no traction from the hopping wheel.  If you have any question if you have a bad strut, get it checked out at our shop.  We check suspensions, and brakes for free.

One other very common noise is when a hub bearing goes bad.  You will know this when you
hear a groaning or howling noise when driving over 30MPH and the noise changes in sound
when you turn left or right on curves in the road.  The noise changes because you are adding or removing weight from the bad bearing.  If you hear the noise on a left hand curve, the right bearing is probably bad, and vice versa.  Get this fixed ASAP or the job can become more expensive the longer you drive because it can damage other parts.

Tires also can cause a bearing type noise.  On some cars the tire can become cupped or
scalloped because of a bad wheel alignment.  Some vehicles are just designed poorly and can cause this if you don't rotate the tires every other oil change.  The Ford Explorer is a common vehicle for this problem.  For Explorers also are known to wear out ball joints by 30K miles.  If you own one of these vehicles, ask your mechanic to check them at your next service.

Thanks for listening to my opinions.

Gas Saving Tip:  Check your tire pressure.  This can save a lot of fuel.  Just think back to when you rode your bicycle when the tires were low on air.  It was twice as hard to pedal.  The same goes for your car's engine.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787

Does Your Steering Wheel Shake While Breaking

If you have any type of shake or vibration in your vehicle while stopping this is a sign that your brakes may need servicing. This shake or vibration is caused from your brake rotors, or drums, being out of round. Several things may cause this. One of the causes may be from aggressive breaking. Late breaking, or a panic stops causes excessive heat to warp the rotors and or drums. Another cause could be that the rotors are too thin  and should have been replaced at the last break job. Every rotor or drum has a specified discard measurement. if you do not replace it, there is not enough material to dissipate the heat and in turn, warps the rotor or drum. That the most probable cause is that your brake pads or shoes have worn down so much that they make excessive heat and then warp the drum or rotor.

Do not even think about coupon shopping for the $79.00 total brake job. It is not possible to do
a brake job on any car for that price. At least not a good job. The actual brake pads themselves cost on an average of around $50.00 or so. You should always resurface the drums or rotors every time you replace the pads or shoes so they have a true flat new surface to mate to. If you do not have a flat surface, you are only getting a small percentage of the stopping power your vehicle was intended to have. Resurfacing rotors, or drums usually costs around $15.00 a piece. That's $30.00 for the pair. You are already up tp $80.00 if the shop installs the parts for nothing. Not likely. There are no frills brake pads that you can buy for around $20.00, but these do not provide the stopping power intended for your vehicle, they will wear out in about 1/3 the time,
and they will most definitely make a lot of awful noises.

If you find a shop with this coupon price of $69.95 or so, I can guarantee they are going to try
and sell you rotors, calipers, drums, or any other parts that you may not even need, so they can turn a profit from the job. At my shop, for most cars anyway, we charge around $70.00 labor, $30.00 total to cut rotors or drums, and average brake pads are around $50.00. That's a total of $150.00. The most common type of brake pad we use is Bendix, which comes with a one time
free replacement warrantee. This means, the next brake job, you pay just the labor. That's not bad for a quality brake job. I have a coupon for my labor charge to be $39.95 that is a part of my shops ad. That is plus parts, and labor to resurface drums or rotors.

Do not skimp on brakes. They are one of the most important parts of your car. If you cant stop, you may have a bigger problem than if you saved $50.00 or so on your last brake job.

Thanks for listening to my thoughts.

Robert Avanti

Phone # 631-462-4416.  Email AUTOEK440@aol.com 
Address: 920 W. Jericho TPKE, Smithtown, NY 11787