The Auto Writer

By Melissa Cameron

Snow chains are a must on some mountain roads.

One of the things we love to do as the season gets colder is to get up into the mountains and enjoy the snow. Our skiing days are behind us, but we love having a winter picnic and letting the kids go tubing and sledding.

As essential part of these day trips is making sure that our car is ready for the conditions. Here are the typical things that we run through each year as it gets colder. Even if you live in a place that doesn’t get snow, it’s good to make sure you have checked the basics.

Routine Maintenance

Unless you are diligent, it’s easy to forget to keep up with the routine maintenance for your car. Don’t wait until something bad happens and you realize it was years since you had your last tune up. I am not talking about the large milestone warranty things, but rather those mid-milestone things that are important. Like a tune up, fluid flush or oil change. As we head through the winter season this is a great first step to make sure your car is read.

Treading Lightly?

This is a great time to check the tread on your tires. How is it looking? If they still have adequate tread but are wearing unevenly, get your tires rotated. If the treads are badly worn or if you see metal meshing, replace that tire now! Serious accidents can occur from high-speed tire blowouts. Finally, make sure your tires are filled to its recommended pressure.

Be sure to check road conditions before you head out to see if you will need chains. Even if you don’t see an alert, many passes will be staffed by troopers who will check to make sure you have chains, just in case. Weather conditions can change quickly in high-elevation environments, so don’t take any chances. Your local car dealership or local auto parts store can make recommendations on the best type of chains for your car and tire type.

Check out Your Emergency Supplies

Being prepared is not just for scouts. As you pack up all the essentials for your day trip in the snow, make sure you have all the ingredients for a good emergency car kit.

A basic first aid kit should be the foundation of any emergency car kit. The kit does not need to be extensive or expensive, but at minimum, it should contain the following: gloves, tweezers, small scissors, swabs, cotton balls and antibiotic cream. It should also include gauze, medical tape, non-adhesive bandages and an elastic bandage.

In your glove box, make sure you have a flashlight with fresh batteries, pen, paper and some extra cash. Make sure you have your automobile insurance information handy, including your policy number and agent contact information.

Speaking of car insurance, you can always give your agent a call to make sure you are not missing any ways of saving money on auto-insurance. Periodic policy reviews are good practice.

In your trunk keep a set of jumper cables and some road flares or warning triangles. Also include a couple of blankets. We have one that is bright red, so that it could double as a signaling device is needed. Keeping some bottles of water and non-perishable snacks like energy bars is also a good idea. The idea is to make sure you have some basic provisions to stay comfortable and warm in case you break down and need to wait for help.

Winter Picnic Fare

Some may think it’s strange to have a winter picnic, but bundling up in a sunny spot on a winter day can make for some great memories. We like to pack thermoses of hot chocolate and warm soup, along with some hearty bread and homemade cookies. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture all the fun.

Author Information

Melissa Cameron is a freelance writer who likes to research online for the best deals. She is currently on the quest to find the best on-line cocoa recipes, the best online car insurance, and the best way to train a new puppy. When Melissa is not looking for the best of the internet, she loves making snowmen and snow angels with her two children.

Photo: Wikimedia

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Chrysler workers celebrate an important manufacturing milestone.

It took the Chrysler Group just 18 months to produce 1 million of its 3.6-liter V-6 engines. Known as Pentastar, this V-6 found its way under the hood of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee first and has since spread to its minivans, to its full-size sedans and is now found in 11 different models. Pentastar was developed to replace Chrysler’s other six cylinder engines, thus its widespread use.

Two Factories

The engine is produced at two factories including Trenton South in Michigan. Those workers marked the occasion with a photo session and a general announcement by Chrysler. Pentastar is also built at a plant in Saltillo, Mexico.

“The Pentastar engine is a cornerstone of Chrysler Group’s effort to reinvent its business model with world class quality products. This award-winning engine is proof that the Company is transforming its products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Brian Harlow, Vice President, Head of Powertrain Manufacturing, Chrysler Group LLC. “To build one million of anything, and in an impressively short amount of time, is a significant achievement. But to do it with such a high degree of quality is a testament to our skilled and dedicated workforce at both Trenton South and Saltillo engine plants.”

Versatile Engine

Pentastar is versatile and can be used in front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive models. It is rated at 283 horsepower in front-wheel-drive models such as the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and as high as 305 horsepower in the Dodge Challenger. For 2012, this engine is now standard in the Jeep Wrangler where it is rated at 285 horsepower. That’s a 40 percent improvement in horsepower and a 10 percent jump in torque over the 2011 model which was powered by a 3.8-liter V-6. Gas mileage is up to from last year’s 15 mpg city, 19 mpg highway to this year’s 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway. Regular grade gasoline or an ethanol blend can be used in vehicles equipped with this motor.

Ward’s Automotive magazine once again listed Pentastar as one of its “10 Best Engines” for the year. Although usually paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission, select Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger models will include an 8-speed automatic transmission licensed from ZF. Those cars are rated at 31 mpg, delivering best in class fuel economy among full size sedans.

Engine Replacement

Chrysler also noted that Pentastar has already replaced six of its legacy V-6 engines ranging in size from 2.7-liters up to 4.0-liters. Significantly, the new engine has allowed Chrysler’s powertrain department to reduce major engine components from 189 parts to just 32, greatly simplifying the build process, improving quality and saving the automaker money.

Photo: Chrysler Group, LLC

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By Adam Brandon

Oil change intervals have changed over the past generation.

Conventional wisdom is sometimes anything but wise. For decades, conventional wisdom has dictated that we change the oil in our cars and trucks every 3 months or 3,000 miles. This may have seemed like some brainwashing exercise on the part of the oil industry and garages that make their living changing oil, but the fact of the matter is that at one time it was true. That’s because the oil of yesteryear was easily degraded and, if left too long in the crankcase, created an ugly sludge inside the engine. If it wasn’t removed, that sludge could actually result in engine failure. No wonder we all bought into the conventional wisdom that changing oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles was the right thing to do—because at one time, it was.

Oil Change Intervals

But not anymore. Motor oil has changed. The quality and longevity of oil has improved greatly in the last 25 years. Synthetic oils in particular have a very long service interval and don’t wear out—they can suffer from contamination, but they don’t wear out. Engines have changed too. Their operating temperatures are higher, which reduces the amount of “dirt” that accumulates in motor oil. What this means is that you can go much, much longer between oil changes than we ever thought possible in the past.

In fact, many dealers are now recommending service intervals more in the range of 5,000 to 7,500 miles. And even then it might not be necessary to change your oil, although it is important to change the oil filter periodically. It’s also important to check your oil level every few hundred miles, and be careful not to overfill if you need to add oil—that can create a whole new set of serious engine problems.

Synthetic Oil

You might also consider an add-on secondary filtration system, which can remove the small-sized “dirt” that contributes to engine wear. Some people using synthetic oil with a secondary filtration system can run their vehicles from 10,000 to 25,000 miles or more without ever changing the oil.

So, having said all that, there are some circumstances where you might need to change your oil a little more often:

• If you drive on dirt roads often
• If you live in a climate that’s extremely hot or extremely cold
• If your engine is old

Proper Disposal

And remember, if you choose to change your own oil, it’s important to take some precautions regarding the environment and motor oil. Namely, don’t let the oil run into the ground, and don’t dump oil into a water system like a storm drain. Recycle oil as much as possible—many auto parts stores will take your used oil and send it to a refinery, where it can be cleaned and used again. And here’s another plus for the environment: Reducing the maintenance interval reduces the waste stream of used oil that goes into the environment.

Conventional wisdom is all well and good, but it as time goes by, that can be a moving target. If you’re still changing your oil every 3 months or 3,000 miles, you could be spending time and/or money that you don’t need to spend. It may just be time to throw out this piece of conventional wisdom once and for all.

Author Information

Adam Brandon is a blogger for Leonard’s Garage, located in Austin, Texas, and specializing in auto repair and motorcycle repair.

Photo: Myke Waddy

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