Changing a flat tire has traditionally been a dirty and often dangerous proposition. For most drivers it is only a matter of time until they have to deal with a flat.

Last year alone, nearly one million motorists called emergency roadside assistance for tire-related issues during the peak summer travel months. And, that number doesn’t even include the countless others who handled such emergencies on their own.

Murphy’s Law virtually guarantees that a flat tire will occur at the worst possible moment, such as inclement weather, when your vehicle is packed for a trip, you’re on a busy or deserted highway or you are late for an important meeting and simply can’t afford to wait for help to arrive.

However, taking matters into your own hands and changing a tire on the side of the road isn’t just inconvenient and messy, it can be dangerous. Besides the possibility of being struck by a passing vehicle, there is the risk of injury from the vehicle falling off its jack - especially when the tire changer is inexperienced.

To avoid these potential risks, consumer tire and wheel experts at www.tirerack.com are featuring a new solution to the conventional tire changing process.

The ContiComfortKit is an all-in-one tire repair and inflation kit that allows motorists to fix a flat tire quickly, easily and with minimum mess. The vehicle does not have to be manually jacked up and the damaged tire does not have to be removed. The driver doesn’t even have to remove the object that caused the tire to go flat in the first place.

The stranded motorist simply needs to plug the device into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter or 12-volt power outlet, attach the flexible hose onto the tire’s valve stem, then stand back and let a powerful compressor do what it does best, take care of business.

As the tire fills with up to 43psi of air, a liquid latex sealant is also injected to close punctures caused by common road hazards such as nails and screws up to one-quarter-inch in diameter. The entire process takes about seven minutes and lets drivers safely travel up to 125 miles at 50 MPH to a repair shop where a new tire can be installed.

Backlit instructions and an illuminated pressure gauge make the ContiComfortKit, approved by Germany’s strict TUV motor vehicle department, easy to use day or night. Its compressor can also be used without the sealant to maintain proper tire pressures year round.

The reusable ContiComfortKit costs $75 from www.tirerack.com and works on most cars, minivans and SUVs with wheels between ten and 22-inches in diameter. Latex refill cartridges are also available for $25.

The air filter for your vehicle helps to clean the air passing through the engine area and into the vehicle. Cleaning the air facilitates your car’s operation by trapping small particles of litter or debris, such as sand or dust that can quickly build up and slow an engine’s performance. The air filter helps to provide cleaner air inside your car, too, so you don’t start hacking and coughing when breathing the dust kicked up by your car while traveling an unpaved country road.

If you aren’t sure when to change the air filter, ask an automobile technician. He or she will probably inspect yours when performing the routine oil change or an annual checkup. During one of these maintenance visits, the technician can check the air filter to see how dirty it is and pop it out for a replacement, if needed. This probably won’t need to be done more than once or twice a year, depending on your driving habits and road conditions. Fortunately, air filters aren’t terribly expensive, either, and if you replace it yourself after buying one at an auto parts store, the cost can be low, indeed.

Car owners who live in rural areas and travel dirt roads, farmers who drive across muddy fields or low-lying streams, and anyone who drives in sandy soil or weather conditions that are chronically adverse may need to change their air filters more often than other drivers. Get in the habit of checking it with every oil change just to see if it is ready for replacement. If the technician doesn’t mention it, ask about it.

You might want to plan an annual overview of your vehicle to keep it running in tip-top condition. If your manufacturer didn’t supply you with a checklist of things to inspect, make up one that includes the usual features that tend to wear out over time, including tires, trim, and engine parts, along with the air filter. Staying on top of these things will keep your car running harder and longer. On the other hand, letting them go until something breaks can lead into serious complications.

Although an air filter may seem like a rather boring or unimportant part of your car’s maintenance schedule, don’t take it for granted or neglect its care. Without a clean air filter, the engine could deteriorate more quickly due to excess wear and tear, and you may not enjoy the stuffy feeling inside the car. Pick up an inexpensive air filter at your local auto parts store soon for do-it-yourself installation, or ask specifically for it to be checked at your next annual checkup.

General Motors just introduced a new five year, 100,000 mile antifreeze in its 1996 cars and light trucks. The new coolant is called “Dex-Cool” and is dyed orange to distinguish it from ordinary antifreeze (which is green).

CAUTION: These new long life coolants provide extended life only when used in a clean system mixed with water. If mixed with ordinary antifreeze and/or old coolant in a system, the corrosion protection is reduced to that of normal antifreeze (2 to 3 years and 30,000 miles).

CORROSION INHIBITORS
The life of the antifreeze depends on it’s ability to inhibit corrosion. Silicates, phosphates and/or borates are used as corrosion inhibitors to keep the solution alkaline. As long as the antifreeze remains so, corrosion is held in check and there’s no need to change the coolant. But as the corrosion inhibiting chemicals are used up over time, electrolytic corrosion starts to eat away at the metal inside the engine and radiator. Aluminum is especially vulnerable to corrosion and can turn to Swiss cheese rather quickly when conditions are right. Solder bloom can also form in copper\brass radiators causing leaks and restrictions. So changing the coolant periodically as preventative maintenance is a good way to prevent costly repairs.

The basic idea is to change the coolant before the corrosion inhibitors reach dangerously low levels. Following the OEM change recommendations is usually good enough to keep corrosion in check, but it may not always be the case. That’s why more frequent changes may be recommended to minimize the risk of corrosion in bimetal engines and aluminum radiators.

CHECKING THE ANTIFREEZE
One way to find out if it’s time to change the antifreeze is to test it. Several suppliers make special antifreeze test strips that react to the pH (alkalinity) of the coolant and change color. If the test strip indicates a marginal or bad condition, the coolant should be changed.

CHANGING THE COOLANT
Reverse flushing is the best way to change the coolant because draining alone can leave as much as 30 to 50% of the old coolant in the engine block. Reverse flushing also helps dislodge deposits and scale which can interfere with good heat transfer.

The concentration of antifreeze in the coolant also needs to be checked prior to the onset of cold weather. A 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water is recommended and will protect against freezing down to -34 degrees F and boilover protection to 263 degrees F.

For maximum protection, up to a 70% mixture of antifreeze can be used for freezing protection to -84 degrees F.

CAUTION: Do not use more than 70% antifreeze, and never run straight water in the cooling system because it offers no corrosion, freezing or boilover protection.

Here is a great link to the American Academy of Pediatrics where you can find information on the types of car seats available and the general guidelines you need to consider when making a decision.

1. Check your tire pressure. This is extremely important especially when driving in winter conditions such as snow or ice. Remember, your tire pressure will decrease faster in the cold weather so you should check your tire pressure monthly during the winter.

2. Make sure that your wipers are working properly. Poor visibility is a major cause of accidents during the winter. You should also check your wiper fluid reservoir. Make sure that it is full and have a bottle of replacement fluid in your vehicle.

3. Inspect your belts and hoses. Cold temperatures and the freezing and thawing process that occurs during the winter can accelerate the breakdown of your belts and hoses.

4. Test your battery. The cold temperatures of winter can reduce a battery’s power significantly. If your battery is older than two years, have it tested.

5. Check your antifreeze. The ratio of antifreeze to water should be 50:50.

6. Be prepared for a breakdown. Even the best maintained vehicle may still break down and it is important for you to be prepared. Have a winter emergency kit in your car. Here are some important items to include in the kit:

A pair of gloves and a winter hat
Salt or sand
An ice scraper and snow brush
A small shovel
Extra wiper fluid
A flash light
Flares
Jumper cables
Extra food and water

Finally, remember to drive slowly in winter conditions and remove all snow and ice from your vehicle’s windows. Good luck!

Oil is the “blood” of your car and you want to keep it healthy. Not only does your engine require oil to run efficiently but old or dirty oil can actually harm your engine. It is vital to your engine that your oil remain clean and un-abrasive.

Frequent oil changes does have it’s perks. Since you are servicing your vehicle with expert technicians they may have the ability to see a problem before it endangers you or becomes a serious and expensive problem.

My oil change rule is different for every car I own. I base my oil change frequency on the manufacturers recommendations.

For more information please follow these links.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/strategies/2007/03/tip-of-the-day—too-oily-too-often.html
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/green-oil-changes-460808
http://www.professorshouse.com/your-home/inside-your-garage/how-often-should-I-change-my-oil.aspx

Herb

Don’t worry, with all the Colleges & Businesses in New England we do help people such as yourself all the time. You are going to love buying a car from a Herb Chambers dealership!

The good news is The Herb Chambers Companies have 44 dealerships and works with numerous banks. Many banks are willing to overlook some past credit issues. As I mentioned, your options are based on how you are doing at rebuilding / reestablishing your credit as well as your job history, income and the amount of your down payment.

I also suggest you do as much of the following as you can; Do save as much cash as possible to put down on your next car. See if you can maybe get a cosigner, with good credit. Avoid @ all costs a buy here…pay here used car lot. The unknown quality, high interest and premium you will pay will only further hinder your efforts. Continue to make timely payments. Remember your credit history with others since your bankruptcy will dramatically help what you are trying to accomplish.

Furthermore, as you go about your shopping I want you to know that we have established in all of our dealerships a Client Care Specialist (CCS). The CCS’s job is to provide Internet shoppers like yourself with a painless and professional shopping experience as you shop for a car at Herb Chambers.

I hope this helps & good luck!