Best Shopping Discounts

David Maillie asked:


Basically, fixing and repairing your cars headlights is something everyone can do. You could take your car to your local car dealer and pay hundreds of dollars or you could repair them yourself for as little as $15. I would rather keep my money than make my local dealer rich with their outrageous markups and prices. Here is how to properly evaluate, fix and repair almost any automotive headlight problem.

First, determine what the problem is. Are they dim, not working at all, hard to see with at night, have water inside, failed inspection? If they don’t come on at all either you have a burned out bulb or an electrical problem. An electrical problem can be expensive and very labor intensive to fix – but they are usually vary rare. So lets first look at the bulb. The bulb unscrews out of the back of the headlight lens on most newer cars (on older cars with glass headlights the whole lens is the bulb and you just replace it with a new glass replacement $10 – $20 at Walmart). After removing the bulb, look at it. Does it look burned out? Is it black, melted, discolored? If so, replace with a new one. You can purchase replacements at your local automotive store or Walmart for under $20. Insert the new bulb or bulbs and make sure not to touch the glass part of the bulb with your fingers – the grease we emit on our fingers will cause the bulb to wear more quickly or even blow. After installing the bulb try the lights. 99% of the time this is the reason they will not turn on. If it still doesn’t light you have an electrical problem and this should be referred to your local mechanic.

If you have water in your lens this is caused by a leak, crack, or hole in the lens. With the newer plastic lenses you need to remove the lens and then carefully drill a small hole into the bottom of the lens (be careful not to hit the bulb. Let the water run out and then patch with silicone (easily obtained at Walmart or your local automotive store). Then find the source of the water. Usually the seals start to go bad after 3-5 years. You can cover the seal around the lens with silicone to reseal the lens. If the leak was caused by a crack a clear sealant like urethane can be used to seal the crack or small hole. If it is a large hole it would be best to replace the lens.

The other major problem is cloudy, yellow headlight lenses which can lead to diminished output, poor nighttime visibility and basically an unsafe car. There are now headlight repair, restorer and cleaner kits available to cure this problem. In the past you had to resort to replacing your lenses which can be very expensive – $200+ per lens not including installation and labor at your local car dealer. Now for under $20 you can fully restore your headlight lenses to like new optical clarity and greatly improve your nighttime safety. For more information on these kits please see the link below.

There you have it – the three biggest problems with automotive headlights and how to fix and repair them for greater safety for nighttime driving – and save big by doing it yourself. Please take the time to make your headlights and rest of your car as safe as possible. As having volunteered for a volunteer emergency squad for years I have personally witnessed dozens of fatal crashes that could have easily been avoided by just properly repairing and fixing the headlights. Be safe, drive safe – remember the life you save may be your own. Please pass this around so that it may benefit as many people as possible and increase the safety on our roads.



Courtney

David Maillie asked:


There’s a reason why auto service stations have one of the largest numbers of complaints with state attorney generals in every state. Some uphold good business practices and ethics, but most, unfortunately are all about profit and don’t care if they have to lie and cheat to get it. To prove this all one has to do is go to several dealers with the same problem or question. You will get many different answers, price ranges and estimates all for the same problem(s) and almost all recommending unnecessary and unneeded services or repairs.

Just ask the dealer the question of routine maintenance and what is recommended at each service. If you open your owners manual it will tell you what is recommended for normal driving habits and some may give you recommendations for harch conditions. Regardless of your climate and weather most service advisors will tell you that the area of your country qualifies for harsh and extreme weather - they are trained to do this as it requires more services and makes them more money. Its not whether your car needs it - most people will qualify as normal conditions and require a lot less servicing per the National Highway Traffic Safety Association and AAA. The manufacturer made those owners manuals after millions of dollars were spent on design, research, and testing - I think I would listen to the manual.

On calling several dealers as to recommended mileage intervals between oil changes we got a range of 3,000 - 3,500. It didn’t matter what area of the country we called. The answer was the same. Upon reading the owners manual of several cars it says 4,000 - 5,000 for normal driving habits. We then called asking about the correct mileage to change a timing belt 60,000 to 70,000 was the answer range we got. The owners manuals gave a range of 90,000 -100,000. This is proof positive that profit hungry dealers are pushing up more expensive services, requiring additional and unnecessary services, and basically scamming and ripping off customers. We could not find an honest new car dealer in the bunch, but we did find one service and repair shop that did not require anything over the manufactures recommendations.

Our recommendations:

1) Read your owners manual and take it with you for servicing. Let the service advisor try and argue with you over when an actual service is really recommended. Don’t pay attention to his fancy charts and recommendations. 2) Check and see if your warranty covers the item and if it is really necessary. 3) Oil changes are only $14.95 at Walmart - why pay more at your dealer (dealer average is $26). The oil is the same and you can get synthetic, the best, for the price the dealer charges for regular. As an added bonus, Walmart won’t push unnecessary repairs or services on you. Walmart is also much cheaper for tires - so is BJ’s, and Discount Tire. 4) Do minor items your self. Windshield wipers cost only $4 for a set of two of the same original equipment quality. Just guess what dealers charge. We only asked a few as we could quickly see, just like with oil changes, that the dealer wants to make a lot of money - $54 including installation for the same $4 wipers. Buy then at most Auto parts stores and they will install them for free. 5) If you must use a dealer for repair, always call around. Don’t just take their word for it. Before you go to the dealer, check them out with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Find out what their customers are saying.

The most important thing to remember here is to not get scammed. Some services are needed, just check it out and make sure the dealer isn’t just trying to get a high priced and unnecessary service out of you. Get your owners manual and read the section on required services - it will save you money nest time you visit your dealer. Remember their service advisors are constantly trained just like car salespeople to get you to buy regardless of whether you may need it.



Georgia

David Maillie asked:


We all know it is cheaper to fix things yourself. It is the same with a car or truck. The biggest expense with any repair is not the parts, but the labor. It is not uncommon for repair and service shops to be charging $60 to $70 per hour of labor. And they round to the next half hour or hour for any repair. Just go to any new car dealer and ask to have your windshield wiper blades replaced. They will charge you 10 times the price of replacements at your local auto parts store. So anything you can do yourself to save will be a big help. The purpose of this article is to show you some things you can do on your own and how to get the lowest prices on parts so you can save big and put your money towards something better than fattening your local auto dealers pockets.

First off is routine maintenance. Routine maintenance consists of items like oil changes, tire rotations, and similar. Oil changes are a must at every 4000 to 5000 miles for most every car. Do not go by what your dealer says. They want to rev up your maintenance plan and have you doing more than is required. Instead, use your owners manual. If your car did not come with one, than buy one off of Ebay. The owners manual will give you exact recommendations for every service and when and what should be done. For oil changes use Walmart. They charge around $15 for a oil and filter change and will lube your chassis at the same time. They will also check your tires and change your air filter if you desire or need it. They have the best service for the lowest price and at $15 its better to have them do it than do it yourself. Expect to pay twice this at a new car dealer.

It is also a good idea to check your tire pressure at every gas fill up. A tire pressure gauge can be purchased at Walmart or any auto parts store for a few dollars. Proper tire pressure will prolong the usefulness of your tires and help ensure better fuel economy. To most people a under inflated tire is pretty obvious, but a over inflated tire can be just as dangerous as it can lead to blowouts and loss of traction especially in wet conditions (hydroplaning). Also, check your tires for nails, punctures, slashes, anything that could be wrong with it. If you need new tires, be sure to shop around and avoid the new car dealer as they will have a huge markup on them. For instance, 1 ZR Goodyear tire for a 2002 Ford Mustang GT was $289. The same ZR tire with a different make (Kumho) was $100 installed and balanced (the $289 at the dealer did not include installation or balancing. Shop around and look at discount stores. Also look at Costco, Sams club and BJs for tires. If you have an older car and do not care about matching the exact style you can always go to your local junk yard and buy an entire set for dirt cheap. You would be amavzed at what you might find there. A friend of mine picked up 4 tires for a 1999 corvette for $150 and the tires only had maybe 10,000 miles on them if that.

Lights and lighting on your car are an item that is routinely overlooked. If your lights are dim you could have a battery charge, alternator or dim, cloudy lenses. These are all easy to fix. A battery should be checked for its ability to hold charge at least once a year (more in extremely cold climates). An alternator can be replaced very easily, or if you do not feel comfortable a local mechanic can do it. Do not do this at a new car dealer as they will charge at least 300% more. A good tip is to go and buy the part at your local auto parts store and then inquire with the counter clerk as to a mechanic that they recommend to install it. You will save a lot and it will be professionally done. They will probably even come to your house to do it. As to your headlights, turn on your lights. If they are dim, is it the bulb or cloudy lenses? If it is the bulb, the cheapest replacements can be found at Walmart or on Ebay. It is recommended you go with brighter Xeon bulbs as they are only a few dollars more and increase brightness and night visibility by over 20 percent. If it is cloudy headlights there is a new headlight repair and restoration kit that will restore the lenses to new. This will save you big over replacement as the average plastic automotive lens costs $250 to replace.

Checking your fluid levels routinely is a good idea. A lot of cars now will do this for you and will even alert you to when it is time to perform a certain service. It takes 2 minutes to unscrew the oil cap and pull out the dipstick. On older cars you should also look under the cap. Is the oil really dirty, sludge like, or have white in it? These all indicate something needs to be done. The first two mean it is in dire need of an oil change. The latter with the whiteness or light chocolate look means you have a blown head gasket and coolant is leaking into the engine. That is really bad and requires major repairs and can be the result of running a car too hot. Fill all fluids to the fuel full line or indicator. By routinely checking your cars fluid levels you will be ahead of the game and keep your car running better and for much longer.

Another great idea to keep service costs to a minimum and save you big at the same time is to buy 1 to 3 year old used cars with around 30,000 miles on them. Then drive them until you get 100,000 miles on it and replace it. Most major repairs rarely occur before 100,000 miles with proper routine maintenance. Use and follow your owners manual. It was written by the ultimate expert, the people who built, designed and tested your car.



Jeremy

David Maillie asked:


U.S. auto manufacturers are facing more pressure from import manufacturers every year. They have already been feeling the heat from Nissan, Toyota and Honda, but now with Hyundai taking a larger chunk of the middle and lower range cars, SUV’s and trucks this may be the start of the end of the likes of Ford and G.M.

Ford has already announced a restructuring and a projected cut of 30,000+ jobs. G.M. has recently retired an old name brand Oldsmobile and is posting losses on a regular basis. Delphi Corp., the largest auto parts supplier for U.S. manufacturers has already declared bankruptcy which makes buyers leary of future parts availability. Most of the other parts suppliers are very close to or are currently declaring bankruptcy.

In the 80’s when Chrysler was having severe finacial woes the government stepped in with million dollar loans and other aid. The government is currently reeling from Katrina, New Orleans, and the war in Iraq. It can’t afford to bail out Ford or G.M. The public opinion is against a government bailout as the economy is not its best. George Bush has too many other problems to deal with like high gas prices, natural gas, Iraq, etc…

So, without a government bailout and no proposed new laws to halt the outsourcing and outflowing of jobs and such to overseas giants like China and Japan, it is only a matter of time before Ford and G.M. go bankrupt. Toyota and Honda have been gunning for the number 1 spot and now that they have it are not going to give it up. The only hope left is with the trucks. Both Ford and G.M. have a bustling truck business and it is their only profitable business. The imports have tried to break into this market and after quite a few years they have not had much success. The majority of trucks are bought by die hard Ford or Chevy people. But, that may also change. Toyota has found that the key may be in Nascar. This could and will lead to other imports getting involved and taking the American out of Nascar. That would eventually happen as they have more money and lower costs.

Basically, with the laws the way they are right now, the U.S. auto manufacturers do not stand a chance. So the question is do we restrain trade with countries like China and Japan, possibly hurt foreign relations, Make it more expensive to buy better built and higher quality imports, etc… Or let democracy, free trade, and a capitalist society have its way giving Americans the best, safest vehicles, for the lowest price? Regardless of how we make our laws, Walmarts or their equivalents will always prevail - the basic premise of Walmart’s founder Sam Walton was to sell the best products to consumers at the lowest price possible. Look at what he did. In a period of 40 years he went from one store to being the largest retailer in the world. Walmart has plans for 2500 stores in China. Maybe the U.S. auto manufacturers could learn something here. Take the imports on at their own game, stop paying multi-million dollar compensation packages to executives that aren’t fixing the company. Maybe they need to pay more attention to what brings the best results in advertising at the least expense. Why is it that some companies must spend millions on advertising and others in the same niche get more results for much less?

Ford and G.M. need to rethink and come out with an attack plan. Go after the imports at their own level. Maybe make a marketing ploy of America and what we may lose. The kids of today aren’t growing up dreaming of Shelby Mustangs and Corvettes. They are driving Honda and Toyotas that they fix up like in the Movie The Fast and the Furious. Maybe its too late.



Karen