It is 10 a.m. in the morning and you were supposed to be at work two hours ago. Now you stand in the rain on the roadside watching a tow truck driver hoisting your car onto a flatbed tow truck. You know deep in your heart, there is no possibility of a happy ending to this day.
One of the worst experiences in modern times is dealing with car repairs. Like it or not, each of us will confront a mechanic regarding our disabled car at some point in our lives. The trick when it comes your time is to try to minimize exposure – especially to your checkbook.
The most horrific thing about having your car in the shop is not having the money for the repair. There is more to a car repair than meets the wallet. While the car is in the shop, the owner still has to get to work. Renting a car is expensive and could cost hundreds, maybe even a thousand dollars by the time your car is back in service. Some of us have been in this predicament; many who have not, eventually will. So, how can you avoid this ugly situation? Ah, that is the question!
Amazingly, there is a way to avoid overly costly repair bills. It takes only minimal preventative maintenance on your part. With a little knowledge, you can keep your car or truck running well.
One aspect of car ownership is the question of maintenance. With routine, dedicated maintenance, owners can avoid costly repairs and the loss of use of their vehicle. A regular maintenance schedule may even go so far as to save one’s life; a breakdown on a dark, busy highway at night could lead to an accident. A busy highway is no place to deal with car troubles.
Today’s cars are the most sophisticated and remarkable vehicles ever placed on American highways. They are lighter, stronger, and more reliable than their counterparts of 20 or 30 years ago. Automotive companies designed their new cars very well – to the point that they actually crash commendably in comparison to older cars. In other words, a person riding in a 2006 model car has a much better chance of avoiding serious injury than someone in 1992 model.
Reasons for the enhanced crashworthiness of today’s new cars include novel construction techniques. The metal alloys and composites used to build late-model cars are lighter and stronger than those of the past. Many of the techniques and materials used in construction of today’s cars come straight from the aerospace industry. The rest of the equation is pure physics; the lighter the vehicle at the time of collision, the less dissipation of energy occurs. This results in less damage and fewer injuries to the occupants.
One more plus for the lighter cars is better gas mileage. An integral part of late model automotive engines is the electronic ignition. The lighter car, coupled with electronic ignition and proper tire inflation, allows newer cars to achieve 25 to 35 miles to the gallon.
That may very well be a great plus in the coming months of 2011.
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© 2011 J. Clark
