Rev up your financial know-how! Cars are a massive investment and a large source of stress for consumers. Coming in at the third-largest debt category, trailing only mortgages and coming in just under student loans, auto loans have parked themselves at a whopping $1.595 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Beyond the sticker price, the relentless drain of gas, insurance, registration, and maintenance turns our four-wheeled investments into a bottomless money pit. We caught up with Ty Bentley, ASE Certified Service Advisor, and operating partner at Douglas Automotive. We quizzed him on all things auto, and the insights he shared will help you feel more confident in the care of your automobile. Whether you're on the hunt for a new ride or determined to squeeze every last mile out of your current one, we uncovered the keys to maximizing your investment.
Discussing Fuel Efficiency
IS IT TRUE THAT ALLOWING THE FUEL LEVEL ON YOUR CAR TO RUN CONSISTENTLY LOW IS BAD?
With fuel prices hitting the roof recently, it's tempting to put off refueling for another day or two and run that baby into the ground. But of all the car myths going around, this one is true and should be taken seriously. If your car is running (very low) constantly this can have a detrimental impact on your car's engine, as gunk and sediment that builds up at the bottom of your fuel tank gets sucked up at the very end. Remember fuel economy can only work properly if you actually have some fuel in the tank! Try to not let your tank run consistently less than a quarter of a tank and you should be fine.
T OR F - YOU SHOULD TOP OF YOUR GAS AFTER THE PUMP SHUTS OFF
False! Your gas needs room to expand inside your gas tank. When you top off your gas, you leave little or no room for gas to expand, causing the gas to collect in the vapor collection system of your car. If the system fails to function properly, your car can have high gas emissions as a result. Topping off your gas tank can also cause various amounts of pressure to build in your car's gas tank, which can lead to flooding the carbon filter vapor collection system, which is only meant for vapor. This is no joke - and we have seen many cars at the shop with bad vapor canisters because people top off their gas tank.
IS IT GOOD FOR THE ENGINE TO TAKE ON LONG ROAD TRIPS?
Yes, your car's engine will indeed thank you for taking it on a long road trip here and there. The reason for this is simple: longer drives give the engine the chance to burn off any unwanted fuels or water particles in the oil. More generally, a long drive gives your car's engine a thorough workout at proper temperatures - making sure all the moving parts are working healthily.
WHICH IS MORE FUEL EFFICIENT, MAUAL OR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS?
The way automatic cars are made these days have eliminated the truth that they are less fuel-efficient than manual cars. Thanks to advancements in technology automatic cars of today have more forward gears than cars with manual transmission. This helps in a balanced fuel economy in both versions. The extra gears can help with creating more power at lower engine speed and this saves fuel and creates balance.
WE’VE ALL HEARD THE MYTH THAT AIR CONDITIONING IS MORE FUEL EFFICIENT THAN OPENING WINDOWS, IS THIS TRUE?
This is false. The myth here is that air conditioning is better than rolled down windows because rolled down windows hurts fuel economy more due to drag. This probably sounds nice for people who enjoy A/C, but air conditioning does use up more gas than rolled down windows. However, if you're absolutely miserable in your car due to heat, we'd still recommend using your A/C to keep comfortable and alert.
Discussing maintenance
DO I REALLY NEED TO FLUSH MY COOLANT
Yes, coolant flushes remove rust and scale deposits from the reservoir. It's important to get rid of these deposits because any type of build-up can cause clogs and render the coolant less efficient, which results in overheating and damage to your entire cooling system. Flushing your coolant prevents water from boiling during the summer, water from freezing during the winter, metal parts from rust and corrosion, plastic parts from becoming brittle, and prevents overheating during operation. Short answer is, flush your coolant!
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE A GOOD BATTERY TO DIE WHEN NOT DRIVING?
The battery in your car can die within as little as two weeks when unused. But why does this happen? While our cars are more technologically advanced than ever, this comes at a cost. Due to the various gadgets and computer technology manufacturers include in our vehicles, the newest models coming off the line are always on, continually monitoring the car's systems around the clock. Where does the power come from to do this? Your car's battery. When the car isn't regularly being used, the battery doesn't have a chance to recharge, leading to a dead battery. Make sure to drive your car at least short distances once a week, this should avoid any potential problems with the battery.
T OR F-YOU SHOULD NEVER SERVICE YOUR TRANSMISSION FLUID BECAUSE IT WILL BREAK YOUR TRANSMISSION.
False! Whenever someone asks about having their car's transmission serviced, some know-it-all always feels the need to put in his two cents: "You don't want to service your transmission; that'll ruin it!" Let's get one thing out of the way up front: A transmission service, performed properly by a qualified technician, will never damage an automatic transmission. Not ever. So why do so many people think there's some type of cause-and-effect relationship between a transmission flush and the transmission failing? Because the two often seem to occur at about the same time. That's because far too many car owners only consider having their transmission serviced after they've noticed a problem with the way it's performing. The transmission is already damaged, so they're hoping to "fix" the problem with a transmission service. That's not to suggest that a transmission service can't ever save a transmission that's beginning to exhibit performance problems. Sometimes it can, it depends on what's causing the problem.
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE SERVICED AT A DEALER TO UPHOLD YOUR WARRANTY?
This is false if the service meets manufacturer standards; your warranty should remain intact regardless of where you take your vehicle for service. Always check that the service being provided is up to manufacture’s standards and you should be good to go!
FYI - TOP SELLING CARS IN 2023 ACCORDING TO CAR AND DRIVER
1. Ford F-Series (750,789 units sold)
2. Chevy Silverado (543,319 units sold)
3. Ram Pickup (444,926 units sold)
4. Toyota RAV4 (434,943 units sold)
5. Tesla Model Y (385,900 units sold, estimated)
6. Honda CR-V (361,457 units sold)
7. GMC Sierra (295,737 units sold).
8. Toyota Camry (290,649 units sold)
9. Nissan Rogue (271,458 units sold)
10. Jeep Grand Cherokee (244,595 units sold)
