Clueless About Cars

by Christensen, Lisa

• ISBN13: 9781552979754
• ISBN10: 155297975X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-09-30
• Publisher: Firefly Books Ltd

Summary

This easy to use guide also includes dozens of useful tips, an extensive glossary, an informative resource section and a repair and maintenance journal. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Lisa Christensen is a licensed mechanic, Master Certified with the National Institute for Automotive Excellence. She is the only woman in Canada to be Master Certified. Her writing appears in Autoroute magazine and Reader's Digest Books.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 11
Introduction: Your Car Will Thank You	p. 13
Getting to Know Your Car	p. 17
A Healthy Car Is a Happy Car	p. 17
The Engine	p. 18
The Transmission	p. 22
The Suspension	p. 23
The Steering	p. 23
The Brakes	p. 25
The Tires	p. 26
The Body	p. 26
The Electrical System	p. 28
Protecting Your Investment: Preventive Maintenance	p. 29
Going with the Flow	p. 30
Filters	p. 39
The Tune-Up	p. 41
For Safety's Sake	p. 43
Tires	p. 44
Brakes	p. 49
In the Right Direction: Your Steering System	p. 54
She Rides Like a Dream: The Suspension	p. 55
Diagnosing Your Car's Symptoms	p. 57
And for My Next Impression...: Explaining Your Car's Problems	p. 58
Rude Noises	p. 60
Good, and Bad, Vibrations	p. 64
Inside the Car	p. 69
Other Problems That You Can Feel	p. 71
Enlightenment	p. 71
Tips and Tricks of the Trade: Talking to Your Mechanic	p. 73
You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover. But a Garage?	p. 74
Meet the Parents: Trusting Your Baby to a New Guy	p. 75
Talking to Your Mechanic: Don't Be Embarrassed	p. 76
How to Get the Best Price	p. 77
Mechanical Faux Pas: What Not to Say	p. 80
Gettin' Down and Dirty: Lisa's Do-It-Yourself Guide	p. 83
Getting Acquainted with Your Car	p. 84
I Can Do It All by Myself	p. 84
Safety First	p. 85
Crude Work: Changing the Oil	p. 86
Fuse Boxes	p. 96
Changing Lightbulbs	p. 96
Changing Wipers	p. 97
It'll All Come out in the Wash	p. 98
Tire Pressure	p. 100
Preventing and Dealing with Emergencies	p. 103
You Can Tune a Piano, But Can You Tune a Car?	p. 103
Frankie Valli, Antonio Vivaldi, Your Car and You: The Four Seasons	p. 104
On the Road: Preparing for a Long Road Trip	p. 108
Preparing for Emergencies: What to Pack	p. 109
The Car Owner and the Environment	p. 115
All Revved Up and No Place to Go	p. 116
Waste Not, Want Not	p. 117
Taking the Pressure Off	p. 118
Never Mind the Air Conditioning, Environmental Thinking Is Cool Enough	p. 118
Liquid Refreshment	p. 119
Speed Limits	p. 120
Environmentally Friendly Cars	p. 121
How to Buy and Sell a Car	p. 123
A Man's Car Is His Castle	p. 123
Buying a New Car	p. 124
I'll Buy Your Car on One Condition...: Buying Used	p. 128
Selling Your Car	p. 131
Conclusion: The Clued-In Mechanic	p. 133
Glossary: Carspeak	p. 135
Resources	p. 145
Repair and Maintenance Record	p. 151
Index	p. 155
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Introduction: Your Car Will Thank You Do you hear that little voice whispering "thank you, thank you, thank you" in your ear? That's your car, and it's extremely grateful that you've not only taken the time to find this book, but that you've also bothered to plunk down some of your hard-earned money to buy it. That fact that you have bothered to do this suggests that you're just the sort of person who should own a car -- a caring person, a thoughtful person, a person who takes his or her investment seriously. Yup, I said "investment." Because whatever else your car may be -- a statement of independence, a symbol of your social status or financial success, a way to get from Point A to Point B without walking -- it also represents an investment of your money. For most of us, cars rank second only to houses in terms of major life expenses. And, unlike houses, cars don't appreciate in value. These days, new cars cost anything from $15,000 to upwards of $300,000, depending on what you're buying. That's a lot of cash.What does any of this have to do with a book on car maintenance and repair? It's simple, really. If you've recently plunked down $30,000 on a new set of wheels, don't you owe it to yourself to ensure that you get the most mileage -- figuratively and literally -- out of your investment? Cars may not appreciate in value, but they can and do depreciate at different rates. This means that the better you look after your baby, the longer your baby will stick around, which means that you're putting some welcome distance between yourself and the next occasion on which you'll have to part with $30,000. And that can only be good news, right? So, by purchasing this book, you've made a commitment to yourself and to your car. You deserve a pat on the back! What's Inside? In the pages that follow, you'll find a wealth of information on caring for your car. It doesn't matter if you're new to the car game, or if you're a seasoned pro. It doesn't matter if you know the difference between a brake pedal and a brake pad. This book has been written in a way that anyone -- even the most uninformed or "clueless" automotive consumer -- can understand. In the first few chapters, you'll become acquainted with some of your car's fundamental systems and features. If you've ever wondered what a camshaft is, or felt your eyes glaze over when your mechanic started talking about pistons and valves, you'd better not skip this part. Knowledge is the key to power, and you'll be a lot more powerful as a consumer once you finish this part of the book. You'll also learn the basics of preventive maintenance -- do you have any idea how many fluids and filters your car needs in order to run efficiently? If not, you will! -- and about how to make a preliminary diagnosis when something goes wrong. When things do go wrong (and believe me, they will) you've got two choices: take your baby to a garage, or attempt to fix it yourself. I'll tell you when it's safe to try something yourself, and when you absolutely need a mechanic on the job. Your relationship with your mechanic is kind of like the relationship you have with your hairdresser: when it's good, it's very, very good, and when it's bad, it's awful. How do you find someone you like and trust? I'll help you figure it out. I'll also help you to communicate effectively with your new best friend. If you can't clearly explain what's wrong with your car, your chances of getting it fixed decrease dramatically. In Chapter 4, Diagnosing Your Car's Symptoms, we'll cover the basics of "mechanic-speak," including the difference between a tic and a toc, a bang and a knock, and a chirp and a creak. Don't laugh... this stuff does actually matter! If you decide to tackle a minor repair or maintenance task yourself, never fear. Chapter 6, Gettin' Down and Dirty: Lisa's Do-It-Yourself Guide, tells you