Ode to the full service gas station

[ZenGum]

These "key tasks" are important. You can do a lot toward them without getting your hands dirty.

Tires:
Low tire pressure can cause uneven tire wear and thus shorten the life of the tires and waste money.
It can make the steering seem heavy, and cause the car to drift to one side or the other.
It can (allegedly) cause blowouts.
I can vouch for the first two myself.

You can spot a badly underinflated tire pretty easily. They bulge at the bottom. If one of your tires is a different shape to the others, check it or get it checked.

Oil:
Low oil can ruin your engine. This will be very very expensive. I can vouch for this. (I told you all that I used to be young and stupid!)

Almost all modern cars have a "low oil" warning light somewhere in the dash. This will glow when you first start the car for a couple of seconds, until the oil begins to circulate. Watch this gauge and get used to how long it takes to turn off. If this interval seems to have got longer, you could be low on oil. Check it or get it checked.

Listen to your car as you drive. Once you get used to it, you will notice any new sounds or changes in sounds. But don't go straight to a mechanic and imitate the sound (easy prey). Some guy you know could probably tell you what it is. I have no training as a mechanic but I can tell the different sounds from timing chains, wheel bearings, engine bearings (bad, bad sign) and loose exhaust manifolds.

You spend a lot of money on a car. Take care of it.

[classicman]

One thing I'll add to Zens good info above, DO NOT put your trust in and risk your engine... on a 25 cent lightbulb on your dashboard.

[tw]

Originally Posted by classicman

One thing I'll add to Zens good info above, DO NOT put your trust in and risk your engine... on a 25 cent lightbulb on your dashboard.

If the 25 cent lightbulb is a problem, then a $0.10 LED should have been there. Reality - if the dashboard bulb failed, then question the manufacturer. And if the bulb has failed, well, that is why all bulbs light when car first starts.

Why not use an LED? Because that incandescent bulb does not / must not fail - and cost even less than 25 cents.

So why would oil be low? Did you ignore that oil spot where you park? Do you ignore the blue smoke and bad odor? With so many other reasons to see low oil, then we also have another indicator - an oil lamp. How many times does the car have to warn you of an impending failure?

Same applies to low tire pressure. One simply looks at the tire and at all other tires. Low tire pressure is obvious. And then if tires squeal when you round a turn, again, a defect exists. Look at the tires for low pressure.

Having said this, no solutions exist to a defective suspension on bean counter designed vehicles such as Jeeps. Those tires squeal even when turning into a parking spot at 3 MPH. No way around defectively designed vehicles. Low tire pressure should be obvious. Of course, one must learn to see it. But then we learn from experience - and ask damning questions.

Damming questions such as why do full service gas jockeys get paid so little? Insufficient knowledge even to check for low oil?

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by tw

Having said this, no solutions exist to a defective suspension on bean counter designed vehicles such as Jeeps. Those tires squeal even when turning into a parking spot at 3 MPH.

You just described the difference between 4WD and AWD, and the bean counter is the customer who doesn't want to pay for an expensive AWD system that allows the wheels to be powered at uneven rates for tight cornering on dry surfaces.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Cloud

Yeah, I know they are easy tasks, and I could learn to do them. But dammit, I don't wanna!

Then pay someone directly to do it instead of paying more for your gas. Just as you would if you didn't want to clean your own house or wipe your own.....

[BigV]

You can spot a badly underinflated tire pretty easily. They bulge at the bottom. If one of your tires is a different shape to the others, check it or get it checked.

This is true, but unhelpfully incomplete.

A more likely and more pernicious situation is this: You can have a badly underinflated tire and not spot it at all, given the bulge at the bottom of many radial design tires.

Short answer: Get a tire pressure gauge, learn how to use it, and apply your newfound knowledge frequently. Appearance is a poor indicator of tire pressure.

[classicman]

If you hit potholes or drive over speed bumps your alignment CAN BE affected.

[tw]

Originally Posted by classicman

If you hit potholes or drive over speed bumps your alignment CAN BE affected.

And the supporting facts that say why are what? Posts without such facts have the intellectual value of George Jr. How does that pothole affect alignment on a properly designed car (facts that were obviously required in classicman's blanket declaration)? You would declare a fact, in obvious contradiction, without a single 'why'? Only extremists do that. Why does that pothole affect alignment when facts, with reasons why, were posted to the contrary? Are we to believe classicman only because he says so? Where are these supporting facts?

[classicman]

Originally Posted by tw

Where are these supporting facts?

Here are five for you Tom - There are a few THOUSAND MORE.
If you care to, look them up yourself.

Don't Let Alignment Problems Get Your Truck Down

DRIVER ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS

Automotive Vehicle Safety

Tire Care and Maintenance

Information Bulletin - Spring Driving

Originally Posted by tw

Meanwhile, when the mechanic says the check engine light mean nothing, then find a mechanic with basic technical knowledge. Another lesson that others may learn from experience. Not just that the failure happened - but also why.

You missed the point here. The point was if a driver didn't notice the light bulb or LED was NOT operational, had burned out/broken.... for whatever reason. There would be no notification of a problem that needs to be addressed.

[Cloud]

uh. wow.

AAA is totally worth it.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Cloud

uh. wow.

AAA is totally worth it.

I think tw has a little crush on you....

[Shawnee123]

I can't imagine two other people who could argue so much over automobile maintenance.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Not so, Shawnee. Men have been debating maintenance of motor vehicles, and before that draught animals/wagons, since forever.
What did you think the guys were talking about in the garage all Saturday afternoon, girls?

I'm from the, there's no such thing as too much maintenance, school.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

I can't imagine two other people who could argue so much over automobile maintenance.

I was simply offering my help to cloud and got lambasted for it - since the first post I have been like WTF did I do?

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Not so, Shawnee. Men have been debating maintenance of motor vehicles, and before that draught animals/wagons, since forever.
What did you think the guys were talking about in the garage all Saturday afternoon, girls?

I'm from the, there's no such thing as too much maintenance, school.

Ah, yes. I stand corrected!

Originally Posted by classicman

I was simply offering my help to cloud and got lambasted for it - since the first post I have been like WTF did I do?

Just messin' with you, classic.