Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide

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Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide Page 20

by Patrice Banks


  • Good for luxury and European cars with more expensive repairs. (Mary could have used an aftermarket warranty.)

  • Better options for people who aren’t committed to taking care of their cars or aren’t budgeting for repairs

  Disadvantages of an Aftermarket Warranty

  • Warranty companies pay the mechanic or shop who performs the repair, not the person who purchased the warranty. You may have to pay for the repair up front and get reimbursed or wait until the company approves the claim and pays the mechanic; not all mechanics will work with aftermarket warranties. The arrangement involves a lot of paperwork, and sometimes the company will send out an inspector to confirm the damage and repair costs.

  • Aftermarket warranty companies are often like dodgy insurance companies—they’ll look for every excuse under the sun to avoid paying for the repair you try to claim.

  • You will have to pay a deductible.

  • You may have to pay some of the repair costs after the deductible.

  • The warranty company may select where the warranty repair must be performed, so you might not be able to take your car to your PCT.

  • Unlike auto manufacturer warranties, aftermarket warranties may not be transferable with the sale of a car.

  Three Times When an Aftermarket Warranty Is a Good Idea

  • Consider purchasing an aftermarket warranty on luxury or European cars that you plan on keeping past 100,000 miles. No matter how well you take care of your car, repairs on luxury and European cars can be expensive.

  • If you don’t have a PCT, get a warranty. If you shop-hop, you never know who is working on your car. Often mechanics make mistakes that you won’t see until later, increasing your risk of expensive repairs as the car ages.

  • If you are not committed to taking care of your car or putting money aside for repairs after 80,000 miles, get an aftermarket warranty.

  When Warranties Get Tricky

  Here’s a question I am asked frequently: Am I voiding my warranty by taking my car to an outside repair shop for maintenance and service instead of to the dealership or preferred shop? The answer is no. Repairs that are not covered by the warranty, aka nonwarranty repairs, can be done anywhere. All maintenance can be done elsewhere as well.

  An auto manufacturer warranty is with the manufacturer (Ford), not the dealership, so it will remain valid no matter who performs the nonwarranty repairs, meaning you can use your preferred PCT and don’t have to stick with the dealer’s service department.

  If you need a warranty repair covered by the auto manufacturer performed on the car, take it to the dealership. There’s a lot more paperwork required in trying to get reimbursed for a warranty repair done at an independent shop, and auto manufacturers will accept repairs only from preapproved shops.

  Both auto manufacturer and aftermarket warranties may require you to use a certain oil for oil changes and/or perform maintenance at scheduled periods. Pay attention to the warranty’s conditions and make sure you keep your receipts! Just like the insurance industry, the auto warranty industry will use fine print and your driving habits to get out of paying for a job or paying the full amount for a job. Aftermarket warranty companies may send inspectors out to confirm the damage and prove the driver had no fault.

  If you can’t show you held up your end of the warranty, like having regular scheduled maintenance performed per your owner’s manual, they may not pay for the repair.

  How to Know It’s Time to Say Good-bye

  How do you end a love affair with the best friend you’ve hung out with almost every day for the past several years of your life? Breakups are really hard. And letting go can be downright terrifying.

  Letting go of a car? Never a problem for me! Just the opposite, in fact. I was often a bit too hasty in my quest to move on, buying a new car as soon as my old friend showed any signs of wear. How unloyal I was back then. In my fortune-teller’s ball I saw multiple trips to the mechanic, stacks of bills for multi-hundred-dollar repairs, and breakdowns at the worst possible times. So I ran in the other direction.

  As your car accumulates more and more miles, many of its parts begin to wear down and fail. Every moving part on your car will fail eventually. That’s a certainty. And there comes a point when, every time you turn around, your car needs to go back in the shop for a $750 repair or you get slammed with one big $2,000-plus bill.

  How are you supposed to know when to call it quits and trade in your car? The 100,000-mile mark is a good rule of thumb. After this point, nothing will be covered by the warranty, and repair costs will begin to mount. On the flip side, most drivers have paid off their car loans by this point, and the cost of insurance will be lower. Some people are lucky enough to be able to purchase a new car whenever they please. But often, buying a new (or new-to-you) vehicle represents a serious monetary load, so the decision will have to involve some number crunching.

  Need-to-Know Facts

  Before you purchase a car, new or used, make sure you understand the following about the warranty:

  1. The length of the warranty

  2. The point of contact for service or repair

  3. What parts and repair problems are covered

  4. Any conditions or limitations on the warranty

  Ask your salesperson to explain in detail what the warranty covers, and read the warranty. Boring, but important. Like health benefits and retirement plans in a job offer scenario, the fine print here may actually help determine the difference between a good deal and a money drainer.

  Choosing a Car for Its Warranty

  Selecting a new car based on the strength of its warranty is a great strategy for a budget-minded #shecanic. Some of the best auto manufacturer warranties on the market today (Kia, Hyundai, and Mitsubishi come to mind) run for ten years or 100,000 miles on the powertrain, and five years or 60,000 miles for bumper to bumper.

  The standard warranty for auto manufacturers would get you three years or 36,000 miles bumper to bumper, and five years or 60,000 miles on the powertrain (think Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Mazda, and Subaru).

  Let Your PCT Come to the Rescue

  Still can’t tell whether it’s time to say good-bye? Put it on your PCT. It feels great not to have to figure this one out all on your own, and this is another instance in which developing a long-term relationship with a trusted PCT will pay off. An experienced person who knows your car history and your driving and spending habits should be able to make the call relatively quickly on when it’s time for you to move on. He or she may even be able to help you find a used car.

  So buy your PCT a cake for her birthday. Send him a check for twenty dollars for Christmas. PCTs are your new everyday heroes.

  Your car salesperson can help, too. If you have a relationship with a car salesperson or dealership you trust, it’s a great idea to ask for their advice on if you can afford a new or new-to-you car. A great salesperson will work hard to find you a good deal on a car that works for you.

  . . . Or Get Out Your Calculator

  It might seem like a terribly complicated decision, but there are really only two factors to consider in determining whether it’s time to send your baby to the junkyard or if you should try to keep the love alive.

  1. What is the cost of owning your current vehicle? How much do you currently pay per year in maintenance, repairs, gas, registrations, dealing with breakdowns, insurance, not to mention the headache of constant repairs? Reflect back on the last two years. As cars age, $500 and $600 repairs become common, and they add up real quick. Major repairs like engine leaks or power steering rack replacements can cost over $1,500. The numbers are likely to be increasing and will continue to increase as the car ages or if it wasn’t well taken care of. Your PCT can help you determine what this number is. Your owner’s manual will help you determine what maintenance procedures are coming up.

  2. What is the true cost to own a new or new-to-you car? Head back to the true-cost-to-own section on page 241 to figure
that out. If the current cost to own your car per year is comparable to that of a new or new-to-you car, that’s a deal breaker.

  What if you have one or several repairs that are adding up to thousands of dollars, like in Mary’s example, that you can’t afford to pay? Should you break up with your car then? Say you’ve got a repair bill costing $1,500, plus another $800 to $1,000 for expected repairs and maintenance over the next year on a car that’s worth $5,000. It’s probably time to say to your car, “It’s not me, it’s you.” How did I come to that conclusion?

  By crunching the numbers using this simple equation as a general guideline:

  If the price of current repair + current cost to own the car per year > half the value of the car, then the repairs are probably not worth the price.

  To put that in plain English: If the cost of maintenance and repairs is greater than half the value of the car, you’re probably better off walking away.

  In our hypothetical case, $1,500 + $1,000 adds up to $2,500—which is equal to half the value of a $5,000 car.

  Some of us are trigger-happy when it comes to getting rid of cars, while others have a hard time letting go. But being a good friend to your wallet means always considering the longer-term costs of your decisions as a car owner.

  Sell

  You’ve decided you’re ready to get a new car. But what do you do with your old one? You have two options. You can sell it personally or trade it in at a dealership.

  Most people trade in their cars at dealerships because it’s pretty much hassle-free. The dealer will deduct the cost of the trade-in on your final car purchase. If you want to sell your car personally, you’ll likely need to post an ad online.

  There are numerous online tools that help you determine the current price of your car, find a dealer that will buy your trade-in, and/or post your car for sale. Websites like Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Autotrader are very helpful. While you’re there, you can gather information on finding your new baby.

  Good luck, #shecanics!

  What to Do in an Emergency

  Emergencies like car accidents or breakdowns can’t be predicted. If they could, we’d figure out how to avoid them. But a well-rounded #shecanic is always a step ahead of any possible incidents on the road thanks to her knowledge and preparations. Read through this chapter to make sure that you already know what to do in a moment of crisis.

  General Rules for Any Car Emergency

  • Do not panic. It is important that you stay calm so you can make rational decisions.

  • Put your hazard lights on immediately to alert other drivers that you are in an emergency situation.

  • Pull off to the side of the road as soon as it is safely possible to do so, and apply your parking/emergency brake. Ideally, you want to pull off on level ground with enough space on each side of the car to work safely. If you have a flat tire, pull off the road on the same side as the tire repair. You don’t want to change a tire with your back to the passing traffic.

  • If you don’t feel comfortable getting out of the car to check out what is going on, stay in or close to the vehicle (as long as it is safe and you don’t see or smell any signs of smoke or fire) and call for help.

  • Otherwise, get out of the car and put out any reflective triangles, flares, or orange cones you have to alert traffic.

  • Dial 911 and ask for help if you feel unsafe.

  • Find any emergency numbers you may need—towing company, roadside assistance, insurance company, et cetera.

  If You Get in a Car Crash

  With apologies to your car, the best-case scenario for any crash is that it be minor enough that you are still mobile and lucid. You don’t have to call the police after a minor accident, if you and the other party can move your cars safely out of the way of traffic. (Police may still come to help out if they observe the accident.) The police should be called if the accident is impeding traffic or is a safety concern.

  Here are the things you should do if you are in an accident.

  1. Move your vehicle safely out of the way of traffic, if possible, and turn off the car. Catch your breath.

  2. Apply the emergency or parking brake and turn on your hazard lights.

  3. Make sure no one in the car is hurt. If you or anyone is hurt, call 911.

  4. Get out of the car and put out any flares or orange cones you have to alert traffic of an emergency situation. Check the vehicle over for the damage.

  5. If you crashed into another vehicle or vehicles, exchange information with the other driver or drivers. Ask for the drivers’ license and insurance information and record their names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance companies and policy numbers, the VINs of their cars, and their license plate numbers and states.

  6. If the name on the driver’s license doesn’t match the name on the insurance policy, get the name and contact information of the policyholder.

  7. Use your cell phone to take pictures of any damage to both cars. It might also be helpful to take pictures of the surrounding area to help explain how the accident happened, especially if there is a disagreement on who’s at fault.

  8. Let’s be honest, #shecanics, getting in a car crash can be scary if the other vehicle’s driver is aggressive or gives you a bad vibe. If you don’t feel comfortable, stay in your car with the doors locked and call the police.

  9. Call for a tow truck if your car is not drivable.

  If Your Engine Overheats

  As soon as you see the needle on your temperature gauge creep up past the middle, your engine is in danger of being permanently damaged. You may notice smoke coming out from under the hood. On some cars, the check-engine light will come on. Here are the steps you should take in this situation.

  1. Pull over as soon as it is safely possible.

  2. Turn the engine off, but put the heat on full blast. This will help move heat away from the engine.

  3. Let your vehicle cool down for at least twenty minutes.

  4. Open the hood and see what is going on. Check the coolant reservoir. Is there coolant in it? Do not drive a car without coolant. Add some if you have some in the car. Water can be used in an emergency only.

  5. Look for any coolant under the hood to help determine if there is a leak and how bad it is. If you see neon-colored liquid in puddles in and around other parts under the hood, you likely have a coolant leak somewhere in the system.

  6. If you don’t have coolant or water, call a tow truck to have your car delivered to your PCT or the nearest shop.

  7. If you have coolant or water to add to the coolant reservoir until it is full, start the engine. Let the engine sit until the temperature gauge is right in the middle.

  If the temperature gauge starts to creep up past the middle again, turn the car off and call for a tow truck. If the needle on the temperature gauge stays steady in the middle for five minutes, drive your car to your PCT as soon as possible. If the engine starts to overheat again as you are driving, follow steps 1 through 3 and call a tow truck.

  If You Lose Brakes While Driving

  While this is an uncommon emergency, brakes can go out while you’re driving, and it’s a possibility for which you should be prepared. It is important to try to remain as calm as as you can and remember that you must pump the brake pedal, not slam it.

  1. Put the car in neutral as soon as you notice that the brakes are not working.

  2. Pump your brakes to slow down. Do not slam them.

  3. Once you are at 15 miles an hour or below, slowly apply the emergency brake until the car can stop.

  4. Call a tow truck and get your car towed to your PCT ASAP.

  If You Have a Flat Tire

  See page 203.

  If Your Vehicle Won’t Start

  This will be your mostly likely car emergency, but you won’t need to call for help if you have the right knowledge and tools. Even if you get the car started, though, you must determine what caused it not to start; otherwise it could happen again when you least expe
ct it.

  There are three things that cause a car not to start.

  1. There is no power to turn the starter motor on because of a battery or alternator failure or an electrical or computer issue.

  2. The starter motor has failed.

  3. The engine is not getting air or fuel to eat.

  What do you hear when you turn the key in the ignition?

  • If you hear a tick-tick-tick or a splutter, the battery needs a jump.

  • If you hear nothing but see all the dashboard lights turn on, the battery needs a jump.

  • If you hear nothing and see none of the dashboard lights come on, the battery may be completely dead, or the starter motor has failed. Try to jump-start the battery. If a jump doesn’t work, the battery, alternator, or starter may need a replacement, or you may have an electrical or computer issue. Call for a tow truck to deliver your car to your PCT.

  • If you hear a really slow crank or slow start when you turn the ignition, the battery needs a jump-start. Have your PCT check your charging system.

  • If you hear a real crank (chug-chug-chug), like your car is trying to turn on but the engine just doesn’t start, the engine is either not getting air or fuel to eat, or you have an electrical or computer issue. There could be a number of reasons for this. First, make sure it’s not because you ran out of gas. If the problem is not that simple, call for a tow truck.

  Your PCT can run a quick charging system test to determine whether your car’s failure to start is the fault of the battery or alternator. A failed starter is a pretty quick diagnosis as well. If the problem is an air or fuel delivery issue or an electrical or computer issue, this will take some time to diagnose.

 

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