A Women’s Point of View: The Savvy Bargain Hunter

by Colette Cooley, Cars For Keeps Office Manager

Sometimes, previously owned items are a better buy with better value. For example: that soft, leather handbag with the designer label and an original price tag that could put your child through college versus the house you drool over every time you drive past it which finally has a ‘For Sale’ sign in the front yard. You know the signs: your eyes get big, your heart rate triples and you’re breathing in happy little gasps.

The same thing happens when you go to buy a used car. Let’s face it ladies, we fall in love with a car first before we consider the practical side of the purchase. We are emotional creatures, which occasionally leads us into buying something we regret later. Mine was a used Cadillac that turned into a money pit.

At Cars For Keeps, we can help you keep yourself from making unwise purchases with objective, level-headed mechanical expertise. For $99 you can bring in the car you are considering buying to have a complete bumper to bumper inspection done. It is a small price to pay to know exactly what you are getting into when buying that car.

One customer brought in three cars for inspection. The first car turned out to be such as mess it was a mystery why it was even running. The second car needed a new transmission, which would cost more that the car was worth. After looking at the third car, which the customer actually liked the best, we were happy to announce, “You have a winner”! It cost him $300 but it saved him several thousand dollars in the long run. As a woman, I would call that being emotionally savvy.

Safe - and savvy - driving!

How to Install an Oil Pressure Gauge

Basically, an oil gauge is used to indicate oil pressure levels. It is commonly installed on the dashboard of a vehicle in order to help the driver to properly monitor the oil pressure levels. When the warning light on the gauge lights up, it is an indication that the oil pressure level in the engine is very low; hence it must be replenished immediately to avoid engine damage. That being said, the installation of an oil pressure gauge is highly important.

In normal conditions the needle on your oil pressure gauge will remain in the same position and you will become used to it being there. You need to be aware when the needle begins to move downwards as this will normally happen long before the warning light comes on and gives you more time to prevent damage to your engine. If your car is more than a few years old, the gauge is indicating that your oil needs changing or that the usual wear and tear of age is beginning to happen. There may be a great deal of life left in your vehicle, but you will need to carefully watch your oil level from today. If the needle dips wildly downwards and then back up to a normal level, there may already be damage or a drastically low oil level. It can prove to be very expensive to ignore the warning signs.

Installing an oil gauge so that you can keep an eye on your oil pressure is not the simplest task and is probably best carried out by a professional, but if you want to do it yourself here is some information that may help.

Whether you will be installing an electric or mechanical oil pressure gauge, it would be ideal that you know how to properly integrate it into your vehicle system. To help you accomplish that, here is a detailed installation guide that you can follow:

Step one: It is critical that you know where to properly place the gauge. You should know that the port where the gauge must be placed is normally situated six inches behind the vehicle's oil filter. In order to easily find the port, you may have to remove the side front wheel on the passenger's side. Once it has been removed, you will see a silver-colored filter (located behind the factory oil pressure switch) that has two wires attached to the electrical connector.

Step two: After locating the port, you have to first drain the oil before removing the electric connector present on the pressure switch.

Step three: Once done, you may now disconnect the switch. The rest of the procedure will depend on the type of gauge that you need to install. Normally, pressure gauges include an installation manual, which you have to carefully read and understand, in order to ensure proper installation.

Step four: When the oil gauge has already been installed, make a test run to know if it is already functional. If you are unsure that you did the right thing, it is best that you find a professional mechanic to do the installation for you.

Legend learns how to put brake pads on the truck

My 13yr old son learning how to change the brake pads on the truck.

Auto Air Conditioning Repair Basics: Common Symptoms & Problems

by Marjorie, Cars for Keeps Social Media Manager

A broken air conditioner in your automobile gets put at the bottom of the "to-do" list all winter long. As we move into another warm, humid Michigan summer, however, suddenly having a car air conditioner that works - and works WELL - is of the utmost importance. Who wants to arrive at a meeting, the mall, or a friend's house sweating and flushed by stale, hot car air?

Having an auto air conditioner that "kind of" works may get YOU by, but faulty air conditioners can cause bigger damage to your car down the road if left unattended. An air conditioner running low on coolant, on dirty coolant on faulty electrical wiring can end up ruining the entire air conditioning compressor. Car air conditioners are connected to the rest of the vehicle's electrical system, meaning a surge or problem with the air conditioner can cause problems with the rest of the car, causing poor idling, fuel inefficiencies or drained batteries.

Generallly, auto air conditioners are fast, easy and inexpensive to fix. Most car air conditioning problems are coolant-related, and may often be as simple as getting a coolant flush, refill or fixed leak.

With that said, your car's air conditioners is not one of those devices most technicians recommend fixing at home, unless you're a qualified mechanic. Most do-it-yourself instructions for fixing broken auto air conditioners contain scary phrases, like "it is illegal to release freon gas into the atmoshere" and "be sure to wear proper hand and eye protection". Plus, there are many different things that could be wrong with the car's air conditioning system.

Here are a few of the problems most commonly found in auto air conditioners:

1) Coolant and/or Refrigerant Leaks. This generally applies to older, less computerized vehicles. Refrigerant can run out on its own over the course of time, or leaks may have developed in the car's AC compressor or one of its hoses. If your vehicle has never had a coolant flush or refill and it's pushing 150,000 miles or more, it's probably time.

2) Noisy AC Compressor. Noises that occur when your car's AC is turned on can come from minor engine noises or hoses, but they could also be symptoms of problems with the compressor. If the problem is the AC compressor, it will likely have to be replaced.

3) Fluctuating Temperatures. When a car's AC blows out air with sporadic temperatures, it's often likely that moisture is building up in one of the hoses or assemblies, causing ice to accumulate and clog. Removing ice from a car's air conditioning assembly is a short and easy procedure.

4) Faulty Car Electrical System. A weak car battery can cause your auto air conditioner to function weakly or not at all. Car batteries need to have enough voltage to trigger the AC compressor, and while it may be strong enough to run the rest of your car, it may still be too weak to run your car's air conditioning.

5) Bacteria Buildup. Funky smells emanating from your car's air conditioning vents are likely caused by a bacteria buildup in the evaporator. Good auto mechanics (like Cars for Keeps!) will have the proper tools to flush the evaporator out quickly and without much cost.

So what are some basic ways to tell if any of these are a problem for your car's air conditioning unit? Here's a basic checklist of symptoms which indicate something is wrong with your auto AC:

- If the AC system doesn't produce cold air (duh)
- If the fan or blower doesn't work
- If the fan, blower or AC is noisy when turned on
- If one of the dashboard controls malfunctions
- If the vent, car heater or defroster are having problems working correctly
- If the air conditioning smells funky
- If the car has a tendency to overhead
- If the air filter or dryer have never been replaced, or if the AC has never been serviced before

If one of these symptoms applies to your car's air conditioning system, it's probably time to have it inspected by a mechanic. Caught early, most auto air conditioning problems are fairly easy and inexpensive to fix.

Stay cool!

What is Paintless Dent Repair?

Many times, you are simply in disbelief that your vehicle is sporting another dent or ding. It just doesn't take much to mar the beautiful car's surface. Anything from an errant rock to an out-of-control shopping buggy can all pose a significant hazard to your car's exterior. One of the best ways to repair these types of dents is with Paintless Dent Repair. However, there are certain requirements for the types of damage this process will be most effective on.

What Types of Damage Can Be Fixed with PDR?

The most common types of damage that are easily repaired with PDR are those that are in a door panel or fender. The dents do not have creasing or painted removed. They also cannot entail the trim area and need to be a certain distance away from the edge of the part.

What Is the PDR Process?

This process sounds rather simple; however, it takes a great deal of training and experience to get it right. The first step in the process is to gain access to the area behind the damage. This involves removing the inside door panel or perhaps removing a tire for access to a wheel well. Then, with the use of several specialized tools, the metal is massaged from behind. Once complete, there is no sign of the repair. It's also much less expensive than a traditional repair in a typical body shop. The entire time to do the repair only takes about one to two hours. If you've ever had your vehicle in a body shop, you know that it can days for your car to get fixed. This not only is inconvenient, you could not have access to your vehicle for days.

Let the Company Come to You

Almost all of the companies that offer this type of service offer mobile service as well. They will come to your location, such as your work or home and take care of the car. It's a very convenient way to get your car looking fantastic again. This is also a great idea for a leased or rented vehicle, too.

In Closing

The key to this process is choosing someone who has the training and experience to effect the repair properly. If not, you could end up with more damage than before and it could be very expensive to fix! For the best results, only use a PDR company that is well established, insured, and bonded.