Chapter 17 Buying and Maintaining a Vehicle 17

Chapter 17 Buying and Maintaining a Vehicle

17. 1 Buying a Vehicle

Do You Need A Vehicle? § Needs great enough to justify owning a vehicle? § Are there alternatives?

Can You Afford to Own a Vehicle?

§ Consider how much money you have to spend or your budget. § § § Purchase price Auto insurance Registration fees State vehicle sticker Gasoline, oil, tires, preventive maintenance, and repairs § If you took out a loan, you will have monthly payments

Financing § Pay in full with cash, you don’t have to pay interest § Shop around and get the best rate on a loan

Depreciation § Value of vehicle drops over time § Whether you use the vehicle or not

What Kind of Vehicle Should I Buy?

Ask Yourself These Questions: § What will I use it for? § Do I need certain passenger and cargo capacities? Do I need to tow anything? § How many mile will I drive each year? § Will I be driving mostly short or long trips? § How long to I expect to keep the vehicle?

Vehicle Size § Smaller vehicles better gas mileage and easier to maneuver § Larger vehicles hold more passengers and more comfortable ride, but more costly

Engine Size and Type § Smaller engines are usually more fuel efficient § Larger engines cost more to maintain and repair

Transmission § § Automatic vs. Manual About equal in fuel efficiency Automatic more costly to repair Manual repairs more often

Know the Safety Features § Electronic Stability Control (ESC) § Automatically apply brake to 1 or more wheels when oversteer or understeer. § Side-Impact Air Bags § Curtain and tubular air bags § Combination air bags § Tire Pressure Monitoring System(TPMS) § All new vehicles have TPMS § Underinflation is leading cause of tire failure

Know the Safety Features cont… § Back up Camera § Lane Departure Warning § Sensors detect a vehicle drifting from the lane, a lane departure warning sounds. § Variable Ride-Height Suspension(VRHS) § Lowers or raises the ride height of the vehicle while it is in motion. § Lower to ground = less likely to roll over in a crash

New or Used Vehicle § New § Advantages: § Warranty for repairs and parts over a period of time § More safety features § Less maintenance § More easily obtainable replacement parts § Paid off loan = substantial savings

New or Used Vehicles cont… § Used § Advantages: § Lower purchase price § Cheaper to insure § No quick depreciation § Well maintained = many years/miles of useful service

New or Used Vehicles cont… § New § Disadvantages: § Depreciation § Insurance premium will be higher § Higher taxes and vehicle registration

New or Used Vehicles cont… § Used § Disadvantages: § No warranty or service records § Replacement parts difficult to find § Records of previous damages hard to find § No have advanced safety features

Leasing § Similar to purchasing, but you don’t own the vehicle – Renting § Lease another vehicle § Purchase the vehicle § Walk away § Down-payment

How Much Should You Pay? § § § NADA Kelly Blue Book Give you different values for your vehicle

Outside and Inside Checks § § Doors and locks Vehicle appearance Fluid leaks Evidence of collision damage

Inside the Vehicle § § Seats Lights Mileage Pedals and steering wheel

Check Trunk § § § Look for damage Jack Spare tire

Open the Hood § § § Look for damage Hoses and radiators for leaks Condition of belts Coolant levels Battery and cables

Test Drive § § § Always take the vehicle on a test drive What do you hear? Are the brakes in good condition? Is the steering firm? How is the suspension? Does the vehicle hesitate when you accelerate? § Is the vehicle comfortable?

Make These Checks: § § § § Check warning lights Start engine – lights go off Drive at low speeds, test the brakes Turn a lot Accelerate moderately Test brakes at various speeds Drive on a rough road Check gauges

Have the Vehicle Inspected § Before you buy, have the vehicle inspected to make sure everything is ok § Obtain estimates

Before You Close the Deal § Get repairs being made in writing § Look for owners manual and repair receipts § Read owner’s manual

17. 2 Preventive Maintenance

§ All modern vehicles have an electronic control module (ECM) § ECM – a computer located in the engine compartment that controls your engine’s efficiency § On-Board diagnostic system to give owners and automotive technicians quick access to identify and fix malfunctions

Fuel and Emission Systems § Electronic direct fuel injection systems deliver just the right amount of fuel, resulting in higher performance with lower fuel consumption § Catalytic converters are used in the exhaust system to reduce levels of nitrogen oxides, which the sun heats into smog § Muffler reduces the noise from combustion sounds in the engine

Lubrication and Cooling Systems § Oil, grease, or other substances § Low oil pressure can damage your engine § Pull off road, turn off engine, wait for engine to cool § Low coolant levels can cause your engine to overheat § Check and replace low coolant levels § Excessive heat can destroy engine § Use proper lubrication to keep systems operating efficiently

Cooling System § § Additional cooling Radiator – holds and cools the coolant Water pump – circulates the coolant Thermostat – regulates circulation of coolant § NEVER REMOVE RADIATOR CAP WHEN ENGINE IS HOT!

Lubrication System § Oil pump – forces oil from the oil pan up into the engine § If Oil Pressure light comes on, pull over when safe and turn engine off § On average 3 months or 3 -5000 miles § Check Owner’s Manual § Periodically grease certain parts

Maintaining the Control Systems § Steering System § Check with automotive technician if loss of power steering § Brake System § Regularly check brake fluid level and have brakes checked on a regular basis. § Warning light means check your brakes immediately

§ Tires § U. S. must follow the Uniform Tire Quality and Grading Standards § Treadwear § Higher grade longer tread should last § Traction § Higher grade better traction § Temperature

§ Temperature § Underinflation, excessive speed, or overloading can cause heat buildup § To prolong the life of your tires, have them rotated, aligned, and balanced as recommended by your owner’s manual

§ Suspension System § Provides steering stability and maximizes friction between tires and road surface. § Shock absorbers § Electrical Systems § Car battery powers everything electrical. § Engine’s control computer, ignition system, radio, and headlights

§ Dead Battery § Be sure to check your owner’s manual before jump starting your vehicle or another vehicle.

Starting a Vehicle That Has A Dead Battery § § § Positive Good to Positive Bad Negative Good to Negative Ground Start good battery Start bad battery Remove in reverse order Make sure clamps do not touch

§ Static Electricity § Can build up when you exit and re-enter a vehicle, esp in dry or cold conditions. § Spark a fire or explosion § Discharge the electricity by touching any metal surface before touching the nozzle at a gas station.

Fuel, Efficiency, Recycling, and Security Systems 17. 3

Fuel-Efficient Vehicles § Hybrids – combine the benefits of gas engines with electric motors § Electric motors – Allows a smaller more efficient engine to be used § The engine is controlled by an automatic system that shuts the engine off when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts the engine when the accelerator is pressed.

Maximize Fuel Efficiency § § § Control Speed Warm the Engine Lighten Load Reduce Idling Reduce Drag

Alternative Fuels § Come from resources other than petroleum and are reducing our dependence on imported oil § Ethanol § Biodiesel § Natural Gas § Propane § Hydrogen

Recycling § One oil change is enough to contaminate a million gallons of fresh water § Take used oil to a service station , recycling drop off location, or household hazardous waste collection site § Cars are also recycled

Security Systems § Wide variety of ways to protect you. § Keyless Entry § Wireless remote § Theft Prevention § Bar that locks steering wheel § Sensors for Security § Activated if exterior is messed with

Calculating Miles Per Gallon § § Fill tank Odometer reading (A) Drive normal until ½ of tank Fill tank again – record number of gallons (B) § Odometer reading (C) § (C – A)/B = MPG