Amy’s Garage

5 Perfect Gifts For Your Car 

AutoTex Pink Wiper Blades:
Now come in 2 styles / 2 colors!

Pink Wipers

and Traditional Black Wipers

a % of each sale goes to The National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Available here at my shop: Auto Craftsmen or online at Amazon.com

Snow Brum:
This is my all time favorite snow remover. At my shop we have to clean off five loaner cars, a shuttle van and customers cars first thing in the morning. The Snow Brum makes it so easy.
Works like a push broom to move snow away from you so you’ll stay warm and dry, but it won’t scratch the paint or glass.
Available at my shop: Auto Craftsmen or online at amazon.com

Car Emergency Kit:
We all know we need one, but do you ever get around to it? Most people have great intentions but don’t make the time. Why not be the hero and buy everyone you love one of the AAA Car Emergency Kits. They make four different kits to meet various wants and needs. Available at HomeDepot

Winter Driving School:
If you or a loved one has little experience or are afraid driving on Vermont’s winter roads, then a fabulous gift would be learning from the experts. If you are willing to travel down to Boston, you will have a safe, effective and fun learning environment. Go to http://www.cloud9living.com/boston/winter-driving-school or call 1-(866) 525-6839

Shticks:
Ever have something you want to say to driver in the car behind you, but they can’t hear you?, Shticks is a visual way to communicate when spoken words just aren’t enough. 10 uniquely designed and brightly colored hand held signs will ensure that you always make a statement. Available on www.amazon.com

The Jungle Book 2 movie Three to Tango on dvd ?????? ????? ????

Recipes for Potholes

Throw in Snow, Ice and Rain. Mix in some sunlight and the Spring Time Freeze & Thaw Cycles and you get a Plethora of Potholes!

I have lived in Vermont for over twenty five years and have never seen such a stellar crop of potholes!

While we are waiting for the roads to be repaired, I have some tips to help you protect your vehicle from the damage of pothole encounters.

Be Aware, be very aware

When your vehicle repeatedly drives into smaller potholes, the damage may not be visible, but the safety of your car may be compromised. Tire damage, bent rims, alignment problems, worn steering and suspension parts are common repairs that result from potholes. If you drive into one that jars your teeth it could cause a tire blow out or a broken shock or strut. If you hit a really big one, you may be able to use your cars accident insurance policy to help pay for the damage.

Slow Down: The faster you drive through potholes the greater the damage and expense. Leave extra space between your car and the one in front of you. When swerving around the potholes, be on the look out for other cars swerving around potholes and running into your car.

Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself rip

Hold the Steering Wheel Firmly

Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj movie full As you bump on down the road your car may lurch out of a pot hole and veer into another vehicle or go off the road. By holding the steering wheel firmly you can keep your car going in your direction of choice.

Check the Tire Pressure: Proper air pressure in your tires gives your vehicle better traction and provides the best cushion between the wheel and the road.

Don’t apply the brakes directly over a pothole: Apply the brakes before your car makes contact then release the brakes before your wheels hits and hang on to the steering wheel firmly while your car glides through the minefield of potholes. If you brake during impact with a pothole, the car’s weight will be shifted to the front of the wheels and could increase any damage.

In reality, your only defense against potholes is avoiding them.

If your car does have suspension problems don’t put off the work. Driving around with a bad suspension can be dangerous and more so when driving on a plethora of potholes.

If you feel that your vehicle is suffering after an encounter with a pothole stop by Auto Craftsmen for a FREE 44 pt safety inspection. To make an appointment, call (802) 223-2253 or go to our website at www.autocraftsmen.com

Safe Motoring,

Amy Mattinat

Do You Have A Good Pothole Stories? Arlington Road full movie

Winterizing your car is essential to getting through a Vermont winter with no problems!

Here a the 8 Steps to Getting Your Car Ready for Winter.

1.  Clean your vehicle inside and out: Getting your vehicle washed and waxed helps protect the paint surfaces from snowy bombardments, and it will also make snow and ice easier to brush off.

Since you will be sitting in your car with the windows up for the next six months do yourself a favor and give your car a thorough cleaning ASAP. To prevent that stale air / locker room smell, consider replacing your cabin air filter. It’s also a great idea to take out your carpeted floor mats and replace them with a set of water-resistant rubber mats.

2. Make sure you can see: A winter storm is the worst possible time to run out of windshield washer fluid or to discover your blades aren’t clearing the windshield properly. Wiper blades usually last for about six months. Since visibility is a key ingredient to safety, so be sure to invest in some new ones if needed. Make sure the washer fluid is good to -20 F. Never use plain water. It will freeze all over your windshield.

3.  Ensure that your heating system is functioning properly: While a functioning heater and  defroster are necessary to keep the windshield nice and clear, they also offer you shelter from the cold. Trust me; you do not want to drive a cold car in the months to come. Also check that the rear window defroster is working.

4.  Tires: Need I remind you that the tire is the only part of your automobile that touches the ground? Having good winter tires on your car is the most  important thing you can do to insure the next six months of worry free winter driving. The condition of your car’s tires is critical during the winter. Braking, acceleration and handling are all impacted while driving on slippery roads. Give yourself an edge with great winter tires!

5.  Give your battery a little TLC: A battery gives little notice before it dies, and very cold temperatures can reduce a vehicle’s battery power by up to 50 percent.  PLUS you tend to load the battery in the winter having the defroster / lights / radio / phone or ipod all on at the same time. If your vehicle battery is older than three years, have the battery tested when you take your car in to get your winter tires put on.

6.  Belts and hoses: While they are testing your battery, make sure they inspect the belts and hoses for wear and tear — even if you’re driving a newer car. The belts and hoses in modern cars lead long lives, but that doesn’t mean they don’t die. Cold weather can do a number on belts and hoses, so they deserve attention too.

7.  Get the antifreeze mixture just right: The ideal mixture of antifreeze (coolant) and water inside your vehicle’s radiator is 50/50.  Antifreeze is very important to your engine. It cools the car’s engine, protects it from freezing in the cold weather and is the key agent in providing heat inside the car that keeps your toes warm. ALSO: the coolant should be changed every three years because the alkaline PH will turn acidic over time and can do damage to the system.

8. Prepare an emergency kit: Even the most  meticulously maintained vehicle can get stuck in a snow bank. That’s when it pays to be prepared for an emergency with a well stocked emergency kit. Click Here to get my list of what you need in your emergency kit!

Be prepared for the next six months by winterizing your car. This will help you avoid the aggravation of breaking down on a snowy, frigid day and save you money in the long run. Check out the GREAT Special we are running at my shop Auto Craftsmen this month that will make sure your car is ready for winter & that saves you a ton of money!

Your Winter Survival Kit Should Include:

• A spare tire with air in it
• Extra windshield washer fluid and paper towels
• Tire-changing equipment
• A bag of abrasive material such as sand, salt or non-clumping kitty litter, which can provide additional traction if a tire gets stuck in snow.
• A flashlight, flares and a first-aid kit.
• Jumper cables, a tool kit and tire chains.
• Blanket and extra warm clothes (scarves, gloves, hats, boots)
• Contact information of people to be called in case of an emergency
• A snow brush with an aggressive ice scraper and snow shovel.
• High protein, non-perishable foods such as protein bars, nuts, raisins, and water.
• All-weather power source that will permit you to jumpstart your vehicle without another vehicle. That can be comforting if you’re by yourself.

I am so proud to be able to announce that my shop Auto Craftsmen won the Times Argus ‘Best of the Best 2010 award’ for:  Best Auto Repair & Best Customer Service in all of Central Vermont. It really reinforces that all the hard work of the staff & all the extras we provide are really appreciated.

Auto repair is not easy work. It’s very hard physical labor & there is a huge learning curve at all time as the automotive technology continues to change on a regular basis.

Also -  I’m proud that Auto Craftsmen is now a ‘ASE Blue Seal Recognized Auto Repair Shop’.  This means that all our employees have ASE Certification! We have 2 Master Technicians on staff, and one of these Master Techs also has his L1 Certification. Even Marc has an ASE Service Consultant Certification. This is a big deal in our  industry, and we are pretty excited about it!

DON’T BE THIS PERSON?

While driving to work – the timing belt broke… and because this vehicle has an interference engine, the engine is probably toast. The vehicle got towed to my shop – Auto Craftsmen.

Her auto technician told her 3xs that she should get the timing belt changed on her 2002 PT Cruiser.

But she kept putting it off – because she did not want to spend the money.

The only way to find out if the engine survived is to put a new timing belt on the engine (approx. a five hour job). It is will either be OK – or not Ok – It’s about a $500 gamble! So Sad!

It’s very important to know if your vehicle has an Interference Engine. If it does have an Interference Engine & the timing belt breaks, – the pistons and valves collide. This not only stops your car (dead on the side of the road), but damages the valves, pistons or head… and in most cases, completely ruins the engine.

If your car is not an Interference Engine and it has a timing belt – and the belt breaks… then your vehicle will stop running, and you will have to get towed to a repair shop to get a new timing belt installed in your vehicle.

Lots of vehicles now have Timing Chains. Much better design – in that you don’t have to worry about it breaking, nor having to replace it around somewhere between 60,000 to 105,000 miles, depending on the year, make & model.

The timing belt is located under the timing cover – which is not easily taken off & put back on, so you can’t see the timing belt to inspect the condition it is in.

This is too bad when you are looking to purchase a used car that has about 80,000 – 100,000 miles. So it is very important to do your homework ahead of time and know what type of engine & timing belt a used car has before you purchase it.

Getting a timing belt job is an investment in the vehicle. It can run anywhere from $500  to $1,500 depending on whether you have other components replaced while the technician has the cover off.

If you are looking to get 200,000 miles out of the vehicle, I recommend having the water pump, idler & tensioner pulleys replaced at the same time the timing belt is replaced. If the pump fails or and idler or pulley seizes -it will break the timing belt and you will be back at square one.

I hope you never have this experience. The owner of this vehicle still owes a couple of thousand on a loan… and it’s very likely that the engine is ruined. No matter what they decide to do now, they are going to loose money on this car. Very Sad Story!

Today’s cars are very complex. If the battery of your car dies – you want to be very careful how you get it started up. Here are 4 different ways you can charge the battery to get your car rolling down the road again.

1. Slowly charge the battery by using a battery charger.

2. Use a booster pack to jump the battery.

3. Call an expert mobile service to jump the battery.

4. If you must use jumper cables then I highly suggest you invest in MICHELIN’S Smart Jumper Cables™.

If you hook up ordinary jumper cables incorrectly it can result in sparking or shorting which could seriously hurt you. This could also produce a power surge that could kill your car’s expensive electrical system. I like to call modern cars – Computers on Wheels. And we all know that computers hate power surges.

This is why I highly recommend MICHELIN’S new Smart Jumper Cables ™. These idiot proof jumper cables eliminate the guesswork of how to hook them up the right way.

*They cost only $40.00 at auto supply retailers.

*The cable clamps can attach to either the positive or negative connections. How cool is that!

*They have these LED indicators that light up to tell you that the cables are hooked up right and you’re ready to start the cars and jump the battery.

*The textured grips make them easy to handle, especially in cold weather.

*The heavy-duty cable with insulated clamps stays flexible, tangle free, even in the winter’s cold.

Why does a battery die?

*You left something on or connected in the car that drained all the energy from your battery.

*The vehicle has a bad alternator.

*The serpentine belt is bad.

*The battery is old. They only last about 3-5 years.

*You got a defective battery and need to return it for a good one.

*You leave the car idling all the time or you drive the car on short trips not allowing the battery to recharge – so you wore out the battery before its time.

*Your battery is not strong enough for all the add-ons like monster stereo systems etc. that you have had installed.

*The battery has dirty connector/terminals.

*The vehicle has a bad computer.

*The battery was damaged in an accident.

Getting Prepared to Use Jumper Cables!

*** Read your owners manual*** It will give you information you need, like – where the battery is located. Some vehicles have the battery under the hood, some behind the cab, under the seat or even in the trunk. ALSO, find out if there is an anti-theft system. Some alarms will activate whenever the battery is low or disconnected. That would be very annoying!

VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure that both the dead battery and the rescue battery have the “same” voltage. Car batteries are usually 12 Volts. Trucks may operate on a 24 volt system. Do not attach 12V to 24V.

DANGER! Never jump a battery that is frozen or has insufficient battery acid in it.

*Wear eye protection. Wear gloves.

*Make sure both cars are close enough for cables to reach BUT the cars are NOT touching.

*Set an auto transmission vehicle in “Park” position.

*Set a manual (5 speed) transmission in “neutral”.

*Set the emergency brake on both cars.

*Turn off the headlights, wipers, radios, and all accessories on both cars.

*Unplug anything that is connected to the cigarette lighter.

*Leave on the emergency flashers if needed.

*Turn off both cars’ engines.

*Open the hood of each of the cars and secure them.

Jumping a Battery using MICHELIN Smart Cables™

1.Connect one set of clamps to the assisting vehicle’s battery. Put one clamp to each battery terminal – polarity doesn’t matter

2. Then go to the disabled vehicle: Connect the first clamp to the Positive Battery Terminal (red). The other clamp is attached to some metal on the dead vehicle’s engine block or frame. Painted, oily, or rusted metal will not work. Nuts, bolts, or other protruding shiny metal is best.

3. Both green indicator lights should be lit on the MICHELIN Smart Cables Center Module. If not – re-adjust the clamps until they do. If the green LED lights still do not glow after you have firmly connected the clamps, then your battery is damaged, completely drained or has less than the 6 residual volts required for boosting. Don’t try to jump this battery – you could do damage to your car or the assisting vehicle. Time to call the tow truck!

4. Start the assisting vehicle and let it idle at least 1 minute.

5. Then start the disabled car’s engine. Chances are that if there aren’t any other problems, the car will start easily.

6. Once the disabled vehicle is running, disconnect the clamp attached to the engine block first, then disconnect the remaining clamps in any order.

How is that for EASY!

Please Note:

If the vehicle does not start after cranking for 30 seconds. STOP! Call a tow truck!

Once you get your car running, drive it somewhere safe and secure before shutting off the engine. You will want to get the battery tested to see its condition, starting and charging voltage. If it was really dead, then you should have it slowly and completely charged using a battery charger.

Safe and Happy Motoring,

Amy Mattinat

Owner: www.AutoCraftsmen.

Cars give us freedom, independence and a quick and easy way to get from point A to point B.  Along with the convenience and joy of driving a car come the risks of getting in an accident. Every time you get into a vehicle you are putting your life on the line.

High-end luxury cars ($50,000 and up) have the newest cutting edge technology where the car practically drives itself. These high tech safety features might include: Traction control, anti-lock braking, back up sensors, back-up cameras, night vision technology, run-flat tires, blind spot / lane departure / brake assist technology and 6 to 8 airbags per car. There are even cars that will parallel park at the flip of a switch.

Even though there is all this fancy safety technology available the most effective thing you can do to keep safe is to wear your seatbelt. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) estimates that about 10,000 lives are saved every year by wearing seatbelts.

If you combine wearing your seatbelt with the standard safety equipment in most cars: head restraints, padded dashboards, collapsible steering columns, crumple zones and front airbags you have a fighting chance to walk away from most accidents. Again, the key is to wear your seatbelt!

While a seatbelt helps keep you from being thrown

out of a vehicle during a crash, the airbag keeps you from being thrown about the vehicle. It helps slow you down and softens the blow by having you crash into a pillow-like bag instead of the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield.

Since 1998 the federal government required cars to have air bags in the front seats for the driver and passenger. NHTSA calculates that using seatbelts with airbags reduces the risk of death in a car accident by 61% and has saved over 28,000 lives. Some newer vehicles also have side-door airbags in the front and sometimes in the rear.

As in everything about automobiles, there is no standard when it comes to airbags. Some vehicles only have front airbags, others have side airbags only in the front, and some have airbags for the back seat passengers. As the technology advances the engineers keep adding more per vehicle.

When a car crashes into something at 8 to 14 mph, the front airbags will deploy. Various chemicals are mixed together to release a harmless nitrogen gas that blows up the airbag. It all happens at the blink of an eye – the bag literally explodes at 200 mph.  The airbags deflate rather quickly afterwards. The thought is it needs to get out of the way so you can get out of the vehicle. There is frequently a release of white powder made up of cornstarch or talcum powder that is released into the air once the bag has deflated.  This may cause some minor irritation to the throat and eyes, but once a window or door is opened it will go away.

Because the airbags explode out of their storage units, there are safety precautions you need to take so you won’t be injured from the exploding airbag.

The driver’s airbag is hidden in the steering column. Measure from your breast bone to the center of the steering wheel to make sure there is at least 10” between the two. If you fall short of the 10” try reclining the seat back slightly. If you still fall short, you should Google “pedal extensions” online and purchase a gas pedal & brake pedal extension for about $150.00.

Also, adjust your steering wheel so an exploding airbag will hit you in the chest and not your head or neck. If your steering wheel won’t adjust you can add a cushion to sit on.

The passenger’s airbag is located in the dashboard and in some cars the doors. Always have the seat set back as far as possible.

Regarding babies and children: If the front passenger seat has an airbag – then babies and kids up to 12 yrs old need to sit in the backseat. Exploding airbags have been known to kill a small baby. If there is no back seat in the vehicle and you child needs to sit in the front seat, then the airbag needs to be turned off! Some vehicles have an on/off switch; others need to have the switch installed. Go to www.safercar.gov or www.nhtsa.dot.gov for more detailed information.

If the SRS airbag warning light comes on in the dash of your vehicle, this means that the airbag will not work if you crash the vehicle until it has been repaired. NO, you can’t reuse an airbag. Once it has exploded, it needs to be replaced with a new on.

Whether you like them or not, airbags are here to stay. It’s important that you read your owners manual so you understand how many airbags your vehicle has and where they are located. Then you can make the adjustments necessary so you don’t get injured from the airbag if you get into an accident.

Safe and Happy Motoring,
Amy Mattinat
Owner: www.AutoCraftsmen.com
Automotive Expert Advisor on AskPatty.com
Join me: facebook.com/autocraftsmen

You’re driving to work, taking the kids to a ballgame, or running a routine errand… and then you see it – the Check Engine Light turns on. Ugh. For many people, the sight of a Check Engine Light triggers visions of a costly repair bill and a sense of worry, since most folks don’t really know what it means.

The Check Engine Light turns on when your vehicle’s computer (which monitors your vehicle’s performance) finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct. There are hundreds of sensors in your car, any of which can send a signal to your car’s computer telling it that something isn’t quite right.

In your owner’s manual, there will be a section with recommendations on what to do if the Check Engine Light comes on for your car that will give you a better idea of what to expect.

A common question I hear is:
How long can I wait to take my car in when that Check Engine light comes on?

My standard answer is:

• If there are no drivability problems then you can keep driving and bring it to your automotive service provider to get the computer scanned in the next couple of days.
• But, if the check engine light starts flashing or your vehicle is having drivability problems (stalling, hard to start, slow to accelerate, black smoke coming out the back, etc.) you should immediately pull off the road, turn off the engine & have the vehicle towed in for repairs.
• If you continue driving when the light is flashing or the vehicle is having drivability issues, you can do catastrophic damage which could require an expensive repair. The longer you drive, the more expensive it becomes.

If you do have your vehicle towed, be sure to take it to your dealer if you’re under warranty. Engine work done by a shop other than your dealer can void your warranty.

In short, don’t panic if the Check Engine Light comes on. The Check Engine Light is really your friend. The car’s computer is working hard monitoring your car’s engine and making adjustments so you can jump in your car and rush off to where ever you need to be without a thought to your car’s performance. So, if that light comes on to tell you there is a problem, don’t ignore it.

Amy Mattinat is the owner of Auto Craftsmen, an independent full service dealership in Montpelier, Vermont, as well as the author of How to Buy a Great Used Car.

If someone offered to give you a diesel powered automobile what would be the first thing that pops into your head. How about something like: diesel is used in big trucks, is smelly, dirty and it makes the vehicle hard to start on a cold winter’s day. This may have been the diesel of yesterday, but it is far from the truth of Audi turbo diesel engines today.

Through my affiliation with www.AskPatty.com, I had the opportunity to drive an Audi Turbo Diesel Quattro powered sedan from Denver to Los Vegas with the “Audi Mileage Marathon” October 2008. Audi had over 100 journalists drive 23 Audi diesel vehicles 4,800 miles from New York City to Los Angeles.

Audi brought four TDI {Turbo Direct Injection) Quattro (All Wheel Drive) Clean Diesel models over from Germany

• 7 ea – Q7 3.0 SUVs (Sport utility vehicles)
• 7ea – Q5 3.0 Crossovers
• 7ea – A4 3.0 Sedans
• 2ea – A3 2.0 Sportbacks.

The theme of the marathon was a friendly competition of who could get the best fuel economy in their class.

Granted that the majority of journalists were men, most of the drivers were very serious about the competition. Some tucked in their mirrors, taped off any corners to get the best aerodynamics, and were doing silly things like driving through the desert with the A/C off, hyper-miling behind trucks, and putting the vehicle into neutral going down hills.

My driving partner Kami Buchholz who writes for Automotive Engineering, our passenger Bob Massa of Michelin tires and I decided almost from the get-go that we were going to give our A4 sedan the test of ‘real road driving’ by doing nothing special at all. We would pretend we were on vacation and enjoy the sites and each others company instead of being all obsessive about the mileage.  I guess we did a great job with pretending because we were the last vehicle to pull into the various hotels three nights in a row. They had programmed our route into the navigation system so we had to keep turning off “Matilda” so we could check out side roads and make a lot of extra stops to pick up postcards for Kami’s collection. We were having so much fun I don’t think we even used the cruise control.

Much to the surprise of everyone – including ourselves, “The Vacation Team” came in 1^st place for the best mileage IN our class from Denver to Vegas. We averaged 36.7 mpg with an average speed of 49.3 mph. Does this mean we putted down the roads? No Way! We totally utilized the turbo-powered engine. Don’t tell Audi, but the vehicle beeped at us numerous times to slow down while passing huge motor coaches on those long stretches of one lane highways through Colorado and Arizona.

What do we attribute to our winning the best fuel mileage out of 6 Audi A4’s even though we had the extra weight of a passenger and did nothing special to get better fuel mileage? We laughed a lot! We laughed so much that the car must have been floating on air part of the drive. Seriously, the Audi Engineers had already done the work ahead of time.

What did I like best about driving this luxury diesel powered sedan? That a vehicle could have superior handling and peppiness, great fuel efficiency and ultra low emissions all at the same time was a beautiful thing. I also love, love, love the fact that these cars will one day be able to run on synthetic fuels made out of biomass, such as plant waste.

As an added bonus, the seats were super comfortable. We put in about 9 hours per day on the road for three days. That’s a lot of sitting and poor Bob never got out of the back seat. He graciously offered to help drive, but Kami and I would not give up the power of the wheel.

The coolest feature was the automatic headlights that would tract the road left and right and put on the bright lights and then dim them automatically as needed. We discovered this driving down the mountain into Sedona Arizona through hair pin turns. Kami only had to focus on the road, and the car took care of the lights. I also appreciated that they gave us a tire that could handle the vehicle and the terrain. The Michelin Primacy HP – XL rated tires hugged the road cruising down the highways and going up and down the many curves and switchbacks through the mountains.

The only drawback I found in the car was the control panel that we called the ‘Vista’ of Audi. I had to pull the book every time we wanted to change any of the controls. To do anything you have to look to the digital readout on the navigation screen. I’m talking about turning on the fan, changing the temperature, changing the radio station. And while you are doing anything you loose your navigation. Then you have to hit a bunch of buttons in the right sequence to get “Matilda” back where she belongs. Very frustrating!

Diesels have been a huge hit in Europe for years. They account for more than half of all new vehicles sold in Western Europe. With Audi’s new TDI technology these diesel engines now pass even California’s strict emission standards and can be sold in the US. The dawn of clean diesels is here to stay. So if someone offered to give me a new Audi Diesel powered A4 Sedan…. I would take it with a smile!