Tips to avoid auto service rip-offs

The maintenance schedule in your car’s owner’s manual is the automaker’s prescription for keeping the vehicle in good operating condition. Those regular check-ups should be performed at the proper mileage intervals. In reporting “How to save hundreds on auto maintenance,” we compiled these five auto service rip-offs that all car owners should know:

1. Flushing the engine or transmission. Those are common ways for dealers to pad their maintenance bills. Automakers recommend against flushing the engine.

2. Automatically charging for “severe” maintenance. Some shops assume you need the car’s severe-use maintenance service, which typically involves changing filters and fluids more frequently than the regular service schedule recommends. See your owner’s manual for details; most drivers need to follow only the normal schedule.

3. Frequently replacing different parts. A mechanic who keeps charging you to replace different parts to solve the same problem is probably having trouble diagnosing your car. Even if the mistake is an honest one, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Ask the mechanic to refund the cost of the first repair, which probably wasn’t necessary. Otherwise, replace the mechanic.

4. Replacing the same part over and over again. That might indicate shoddy workmanship or
a poor-quality part; neither should cost you extra. The Internet makes it easy to see whether a
model is prone to certain problems. Search for your model in forums. Check the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Web site for automaker service bulletins and consumer complaints. Also, check John’s Tool Box (available to online subscribers).

5. Insisting that only dealerships can perform maintenance. Legally, you can have maintenance performed at any mechanic without affecting your warranty. Just keep thorough records in case of a warranty claim. The only service that needs to be performed at dealerships are warranty repairs, recalls, or post-warranty work that you want the manufacturer to pay for.

Read the full report on how to save hundreds on auto maintenance.

Car-buying tips for getting the best deal today

This is the second of a two-part series on “How to buy a car in today’s market”

Faced with large customer rebates, there is a temptation to take them on face value. As revealed in the Consumer Reports Bottom Line Price, there are hidden dollars on the dealer side that can be used in negotiation. For instance, most dealers receive a 2-3 percent holdback fee after the vehicle sale, giving them some additional negotiation space. And just as there are customer rebates, there are many direct-to-dealer rebates. These hidden dollars can sometimes be even greater than the customer cash. Examples of cars with high currently available dealer incentives are below, with a full list available with our Best New Car Deals.

Make & model	Expires	MSRP	Invoice price	Customer rebate	Dealer incentive	Bottom Line Price	Potential savings below MSRP
2008 Acura MDX 3.7	3/2/2009	$40,195	$36,514	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+
2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ	3/2/2009	26,880	25,402	Yes	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1LT 4x4 Crew Cab	3/2/2009	32,720	29,939	Yes	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	25%+
2009 Honda Accord 2.4 LX-P 5AT	3/2/2009	22,705	20,456	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Civic EX Sedan	3/2/2009	19,305	17,690	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Honda Pilot EX-L 4WD	3/2/2009	35,295	31,878	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Infinit G37x AWD Sedan	3/31/2009	35,750	33,029	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2009 Toyota Camry 2.4 Auto Hybrid	3/2/2009	26,150	23,796	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Toyota RAV4 Base 4x4	3/2/2009	22,900	20,839	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	15%+
2008 Volvo S80 3.2 FWD A	3/31/2009	38,705	36,383	No	Yes	Get the Bottom Line Price	20%+

Make sure you’re getting a good car — one that scores highly in Consumer Reports testing, reliability, and owner satisfaction data; has average or better owner costs; and a solid safety record. CR has highlights models in every vehicle category that meet our stringent criteria to be recommended. (Use our New Car Selector, browse models A-Z, available to online subscribers, or focus on those cited in our Best New Car Deals.)

Getting a great deal today is exciting, but living with a good, reliable and safe car for years to come is more important. In fact, plan to hold on to the car for at least five years—get your money’s worth. After all, due to steep, initial depreciation, a car is much less costly to own in its fifth year than its first. (Learn more about owner costs.)

On financing, it is important to be honest with what you can afford. Difficulty in securing financing comes from lending institutions feeling you may struggle with the payments or be a default risk, based on past performance. Putting a larger down payment can help, as can having a co-signer. Just as important is fiscal discretion. Don’t buy more car than you routinely need, both in terms of scale and features. For example, focus on the daily use rather than the once-a-year vacation. It may be more cost effective to simply rent a vehicle for those rare needs. And don’t disclose to the dealer that you can afford “X” dollars a month; they will find a way to get you in a car for exactly that, even if it means stretching out the loan period.

Be sure to check current average interest rates and secure similar financing before committing to a vehicle purchase. While a dealer can provide finance options, they will profit from the transaction and thereby may not have the best rates. And always check the rates at your local bank or credit union.

Bottom line
In this economy, focus on needs more than wants. That simple principle will help guide prudent decisions through the entire process. There are great deals available from most automotive brands, though remember that not all cars are good.

See the latest deals on Consumer Reports Recommended cars.

Read part one, “How to buy a car in today’s market.” Read our complete new and used car buying advice sections.

—Jeff Bartlett

How to choose the best windshield wipers

When readying your car for winter weather, don’t neglect the windshield wipers. Your wipers ensure a clear view of the road in all kinds of weather, so take good care of them. In particular, don’t use your wipers to clear ice and snow from your windshield: that’s what scrapers are for. And if you park outside and snow is predicted, put your wipers in the “raised position” so they don’t freeze to the windshield.

Consumer Reports recently completed an exhaustive test of 15 models of windshield wipers on 185 staffers’ cars. The tested windshield wipers included six beam-blade models, a relatively new design. Unlike conventional wipers, beam blades have no external frames. As a result, they are promoted as providing more uniform pressure on today’s curved windshields and therefore better wiping performance. All wipers were evaluated in the real world, as well as in a special lab that could simulate varying rain conditions. In addition to performance, we also evaluated the wipers on ease of installation and removal.

The good news is that three of the top four wipers were also the least expensive. The not-so-good-news: wipers are only good for about six months or so. When brand-new, every wiper tested earned “Very Good” or “Excellent” marks. But after six to nine months of regular use, performance quickly declined.
Replace your wipers every six to twelve months for best performance—don’t wait until the rubber is cracked and you’re seeing streaks on your windshield. If you do it yourself, consult your owner’s manual for guidance. While you’re at it, this is a good time to make sure the windshield washer fluid is topped off, too.

Watch our windshield wiper video, then read our full windshield wiper buying advice and Ratings (available to online subscribers).

Car Care - Five fluids to check

If you’ll be driving over the river and through the woods to anybody’s house this holiday season, or just commuting to work, performing a simple under-hood inspection can keep your motor running smoothly and reliably. Checking the fluids is quick and easy enough—truly any driver can do it. We show you how in the accompanying video.

Five fluids to check regularly:

Start with the car parked on level ground and the engine cold.

1. Engine oil. Remove and wipe clean the dipstick, then insert it for a clean read. The dipstick should have a normal range indicated. If the oil is low, add more following recommendations in your owner’s manual. Be careful not to over-fill. Make sure, also, to change the oil as per the schedule in your car’s owner’s manual.

2. Coolant. Look for the clear overflow plastic container near the radiator. If the liquid is below the minimum line, fill with a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze.

3. Power steering fluid. The small tank is located near the firewall, at the windshield’s base. Level should be between the minimum and maximum levels.

4. Brake fluid. Usually in a clear reservoir marked with minimum and maximum lines. Fill if it’s low, but then have the system checked: there could be a leak or the brake pads may be wearing.

5. Windshield washer fluid. Keep it full. It’s important to keep your windshield clean, esp. when there is sun glare.

While inspecting, go ahead and check the tire pressure. Use the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle’s manufacturer, not the maximum pressure embossed on the tire’s sidewall.

Should your inspection discover a fluid leak or other problem, have your mechanic take a look. Best to catch a problem early, rather than let it find you on the road.

Read up on more practical and money-saving car care tips. And learn about all-season and winter tires with our buying advice and Ratings.

—Desiree Calamari

How to save gas with the right tires

The tires you choose can affect your vehicle’s fuel economy. That’s because different models have varying degrees of rolling resistance, which is a measurement of how much energy it takes to roll a tire down a road. According to government estimates, a tire’s rolling resistance accounts for about 5 percent of the fuel a vehicle consumes.

Consumer Reports includes rolling resistance in our tire Ratings charts (for subscribers). This year’s tires ranged from very good to poor. All-season tires generally have lower rolling resistance than all-terrain tires.

To show how rolling resistance affects gas mileage, we used our Chevrolet Silverado test truck to measure the highway fuel economy of the tires with the best and worst rolling resistance.

The Silverado got 2.4 mpg better highway mileage with the Goodyear Wrangler SR-A all-season tire than with the General Grabber AT 2 all-terrain tire. That is a difference of about $300 per year, assuming gas cost $4 a gallon and the car is driven 12,000 miles a year.

To help consumers compare rolling resistance, California is adopting a tire-efficiency standard for tires sold in the state. The federal government is scheduled to follow suit in 2009.

But don’t use rolling resistance as your primary consideration in choosing tires. Some compromise wet grip for low rolling resistance, which can affect safety. In our tests, the top tire in rolling resistance, the Wrangler SR-A, rated only fair in wet braking.

We suggest you first look for tire models that provide good overall performance and then use rolling resistance as a tiebreaker.

For more information, check out our tire hub, which includes buying advice, tips on tire maintenance and detailed Ratings for car, truck, and winter tires (for subscribers).

Gearing up for winter driving

There's a real nip in the air here in Yonkers, N.Y. The winter solstice on December 21st is a mere two weeks away. The seasonal change is a clear signal to get our cars into good shape for the coming winter months. So vacuum up any remaining grains of sand from your floor mats and put your boogie board into storage. Now’s the time to give your car a winter season check-up.

For those in colder climes, consider buying a fresh set of winter tires and brush up on safe winter driving tips before the snow arrives. Make sure you’ve got these 12 things in your car in case of a roadside mishap. And you might consider keeping one of these traction aids in your trunk.

If you live in a temperate climate, good, year-round maintenance will help your car run reliably; our Tires and Care Car section has advice on keeping your ride in top form.

—Desiree Calamari

Video: Handheld GPS hiking devices

GPS navigation can be a valued aid for in-car guidance, though the technology has other useful consumer applications, including handheld units for outdoor enthusiasts. Handheld hiking GPS devices have features such as a map, a compass, and sometimes an altimeter, and they add the ability to program routes, plot a trail, and share information. They can also inspire adventures, including geocaching—GPS-based treasure hunting.

This is all true, but what is it really like to use a handheld hiking GPS device?

I had long read about handheld hiking devices and heard about them from friends with great interest, though wasn’t clear on how they truly worked and what they would add to my hikes. I now know, and my enthusiasm has only increased.

Through the course of testing seven devices over several months (including the Garmin eTrex, Colorado, Oregon, and Magellan Tritons), the GPS team came to truly understand the benefits and compromises of hiking GPS devices in general and also between popular models. While we were developing full Ratings and buying advice for these products, we also thought it would be helpful to produce a video buying guide.

Project Leader Frank Spinelli and I recently headed to the local woods with CRTV to demonstrate how the units work, show some key factors to consider, and reveal the entertaining pastime of geocaching. The video will give you a good overview and prepare you for reading through our Ratings to choose the right hiking GPS device for your adventures, or aid in selecting a gift.

See our handheld hiking GPS buying advice and Ratings.

—Jeff Bartlett

Also, see our portable automotive GPS navigation systems Ratings and buying advice, watch our video guide, and browse our GPS First Looks. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

Ford tool to improve teen safety: MyKey

This week marks the second annual National Teen Driver Safety Week, created to raise awareness about teen driver issues: car crashes are the leading cause of death among young people and teen drivers are at higher risk of crashing than any other age group. Aimed at improving safety for teenage drivers, Ford recently introduced a clever safety system called “MyKey.” MyKey allows a car’s owner to program, among other things, how fast the car can go, how loud the radio can play, and ensure a chime will keep dinging if the seatbelt isn’t clicked into place.

While technically impressive, I can’t help but think that if a teenager isn’t mature enough to do all of these things without having a magic key, then perhaps they shouldn’t be entrusted with something as dangerous as a car.

MyKey features

Ford’s MyKey is an intriguing technical advancement. It smartly integrates a variety of features, enabling the consumer to control them for the first time. MyKey will be standard on the 2010 Ford Focus followed by other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. With MyKey, the owner can set up tighter restrictions on various safety elements, such as a chime that sounds and the audio system to mute until the safety belt is buckled; low-fuel warning at 75 miles to empty (rather than 50); and a limit of top speed to 80 mph (you can easily be killed in a single-car accident at under 80 mph); and audio volume that will go no higher than 44 percent of total volume.

MyKey will enable parents to operate their own home-grown graduated licensing, releasing electronic freedoms over time. Ford claims that if parents can control the car’s speed, they’ll be likely to let their teen have the keys more often, which in turn will make that teen more happy. Ultimately we hope teens are taught good driving habits, but this tool could help shape behavior, especially for younger (16-17 year old) drivers known to be at higher risk.

License to drive?

My parents instilled a mortal fear when I got my license. After I passed my road test at 16, I was ready to roll. But my mother quickly put the kibosh on my dreams of a freewheeling ride: “Just because you have your license, doesn’t mean you can drive.” The benefit of hindsight and years of driving experience have made me realize that truer words were never spoken.

Granted, my Mercury Zephyr station wagon (gold with wood panels) wasn’t going to trophy in any drag races, but I knew better than to drive over the speed limit. Why? Because my parents told me not to, and if I wanted to continue driving the family hauler, I knew I’d better listen.

Driver’s Ed taught us that the seatbelt went on before the ignition got turned, and so wearing my seatbelt was just automatic. My parents were rather impressed and mildly amused by my non-negotiable seatbelt-wearing habit; their generation came of age in cars that didn’t even have them. Blasting the radio? My father told me not to even play it while driving: too distracting. He also told me not to hang any fuzzy dice from my rear view mirror for the same reason. Fuel economy? I had to pay for any gas I used, so I only drove as far as my minimum-wage job could afford. And I wouldn’t dream of leaving the car with an empty tank for fear I’d never get to drive it again.

Maybe I was just a goody-goody girl, you say. Well, maybe. But I can’t help thinking that big brother technologies have the capacity to give parents and teens a false sense of security. We’ve blogged about unsafe teen practices such as texting while driving, for example. Do we really need to program a car to make sure a teen driver does what he’s supposed to? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

—Desiree Calamari

Some additional advice for creating better drivers:
•    Parents should judge their own children’s driving skills themselves by spending enough time teaching them and observing good practices behind the wheel.
•    Teach by example BEFORE your kids are old enough to drive: if you constantly speed, tailgate, don’t wear your seatbelt, talk on the cell phone or blare the radio yourself, chances are that they may follow suit/believe that it’s OK.
•    Adhere to your own state’s – and possibly your own household’s – graduated licensing program, particularly as they relate to additional passengers.

Check out our kids and car safety guide. And another way to learn more about safe driving is from Ford's Web site: www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

Edited 10/22/08

Wake-up call: The dangers of texting

We’ve written about the dangers of texting while driving—particularly among teens—before. Now the practice has been brought to national attention with the news that texting may have played a part in last Friday’s fatal crash of a California commuter train. The National Transportation Safety Board reviewed cell phone records and found that the train's engineer was sending and receiving text messages while he was on duty. Federal investigators still need to determine if the engineer's texting with two teenage passengers while he was driving the train caused him to miss a stop signal, according to published reports. The California Public Utilities Commission has just banned the personal use of cellular communication devices while operating a train.

Six states and Washington, DC ban the use of handheld cell phones—for talking and/or texting—while driving. Simply put, if you’re driving any type of vehicle, keep your eyes on the road, not your cell phone, PDA, or other device. See our tips on how to reduce driver distraction. And share them with the teenagers in your life.

—Desiree Calamari

Hypermiling – Evaluating common fuel-economy tips on the road

In "Hypermiling - The new menace on the road?" I wrote about drivers who compromise safety and traffic flow in an effort to get the most out of a gallon of fuel. And while some people may employ annoying or even dangerous hypermiling techniques such as driving 45 mph on the highway, turning the ignition key off when coasting, or tailgating a big rig for aero, many people are just looking for a safe and effective way to save fuel.

Some of the responses to my previous blog encouraged me to research and report more on hypermiling. I went to cleanmpg.com  for information from the "mild" to "advanced" ways to hypermile.

Armed with our Prius Touring that we tested for the June issue, I headed out on a weekend camping trip with my son in an attempt to beat the EPA cycle without doing anything unsafe or annoying to my fellow motorists.

After much study and practice, here are a few of the hypermiling tips that I tried, some successfully, some not so much:

1. Maximum tire pressure: Among the most-common hypermiling advice is to fill the tires to the maximum inflation pressure on the sidewall. However, this tip violates my safety criteria: You should inflate the tires to the recommended pressure set by the vehicle manufacturer. High inflation pressures can adversely effect emergency handling by upsetting the balance of the car, minimizing control on bumpy roads, and hurting grip on slick ones. It will also cost you money by prematurely wearing out your tires. So for a trip with my son, this one was out. (Learn more about tire safety and care.)

2. Keeping the speed down: OK, this is an obvious one. In our own fuel-economy testing, just going 10 mph slower can save a lot of gasoline.  Getting in the right lane on a desolate highway and holding the limit is one thing, but my trip was mostly smaller roads. While I tried to go the local speed limits, I quickly found myself being tailgated by annoyed locals wondering what was wrong with me. So I have to admit I did go a bit faster, but only when I was sharing the road with others.

3. Forced Auto Stop (FAS): The Prius Hybrid system allows the engine to turn off when not needed. It does so seamlessly and safely, and it is possible to drive in a way to maximize the engine’s off time. On a conventional car you would have to turn the ignition key off to make this happen (and then quickly back on so the steering wheel doesn’t lock up). But while driving in a car with the engine off may save fuel, the car may not save you if you need to stop quickly, accelerate, or turn to avoid something. Most cars will lose their power steering and brakes very quickly in such a situation, so don’t try this one. Because the Prius does this on its own, I did my best to keep that engine shut–off when I could.

4. Timing the lights: The trick here is to hit the greens as much as you can. Why go full-steam up to a red light, slam on the brakes, and then start off from a stop again when the green comes? Smooth out your driving by slowing before the red to keep some momentum as you go through the light. This takes some practice, but it does work. However, people driving behind you may not understand what you are doing and get frustrated as you slowly coast to the light. Another problem is it is easy to convince yourself that it is OK to coast through a stop sign or go through a light that has just turned red because you are doing your part to save the Earth. Do not do this! Actions like this lead to many deaths each year at intersections.

5. Pulse and glide (P&G): For me, this one was the coolest. For everyone who thought maintaining constant speed was the most fuel-efficient way – all things change when you are in a Hybrid. Under 41 mph the Prius can coast with the engine off without charging or using its batteries if you push down on the accelerator pedal ever so slightly. The P&G technique can only be used on slower roads, preferably with nobody else around you. The trick here is to accelerate briskly to 41 mph, and then coast as long as possible with the engine off and the batteries not being used, and when you get down to, say 34 mph or so "pulse" again back to 41 mph. On my trip, I took a lot of back roads and came back early in the morning. So with the road to myself, I wound up using this technique a lot. While unintuitive to do initially, when you think about the fact that the engine is only running several seconds each minute, the technique begins to make sense quickly!

Bottom line:
I drove 283 miles over the weekend and got (drum roll please)… 68.2 mpg average on the trip computer. Even I was surprised when I looked at the Prius-ometer at the end of the weekend. And 68+ mpg is downright impressive compared to the 42 mpg overall we got in our testing, but then again I didn’t do any of the stop-and-go city driving that we simulate in our tests. At $4.00 a gallon I saved about $10.00. But at what cost? I have to admit that in my concentration on fuel savings sacrifices were made. For instance, I missed a few scenic spots, talked to my son less, and at one point tried to talk him into "holding it" instead of stopping in order to maintain momentum.

When my wife heard about my mileage, she was eager to try out hypermiling. The next day we drove her 2006 Prius to the local supermarket with me at the wheel demonstrating my newfound talents. The trip was all back roads that allowed me to P&G nearly the entire way. The few lights I hit, I was able to time perfectly. As I backed into the space at the market (a hypermiling trick to allow a quick get-a-way, minimizing warm-up time) my wife’s jaw dropped at the display reading 92.7 mpg. On the way home, she tried it out herself. After about five minutes of driving, total fuel savings: None. It took us that long to make it out of the parking lot because she kept making wrong turns as she focused on the fuel economy display. She still tries to moderately hypermile her Prius, but she’s perfectly content getting 50 mpg and still having the ability to hold a conversation with our son.

—Jake Fisher

Also read, "Downsizing for vacation."