RepairPal takes the mystery out of auto repair

Award-winning RepairPal is the only automotive resource delivering free, "instant" Repair Price Estimates via the Web and its popular iPhone mobile application. RepairPal provides the most accurate auto repair and maintenance information available anytime, anywhere, built by its team of factory-trained and ASE-certified technicians.

RepairPal's patent-pending technology generates more than 70 billion unique RepairPrice Estimates for almost all passenger vehicles and every zip code in the country. It also has the most comprehensive directory of auto repair facilities in the U.S. and a proprietary database of each model's common problems.

RepairPal is an Approved Vendor for the Automotive Service Councils of California (ASCCA) and a Member Benefit for the Automotive Service Association (ASA). RepairPal is headquartered in Emeryville, CA. For more information, please visit http://repairpal.com

Winterize Your Ride

You can feel the chill in the air. Winter is on the way. You may have already broken out your sweaters, but you need to make sure your car is ready for the cold weather.

Even in climates that don’t see subfreezing temperatures or regular snow, the change in season is a great time for an inspection of basic maintenance items that affect performance. Have your service center inspect or check the five following areas:

Antifreeze
A quick and simple check of the coolant will tell immediately how much protection it will deliver in cold temperatures.  Antifreeze that is good to 0º F or -10º F might be fine for Arizona drivers, but not so for those in Minnesota. Make sure your antifreeze will do its job for your area’s typical winter temperature.

Battery 
Very cold weather saps the cranking capability of a battery, and a marginal one that did the trick in the summer may not start your car when the thermometer drops. Have the battery inspected and replace it if the cold-cranking amps aren’t sufficient—it’ll be easier in the long run than a couple of jump-starts on a freezing January morning.

Belts and hoses
Extremely cold temperatures can increase the chance of failure for worn or cracked belts and hoses. Use the change in season to have them inspected and replaced as necessary.

Tires
Cold temperatures can reduce the air pressure in tires, so making sure the tires are properly inflated can enhance fuel economy and prolong the life of the tires. Also, be sure to have the tread wear inspected. For drivers in areas that see ice and snow in the winter, adequate tire tread is often the difference between an easy commute and a tire-spinning ordeal—or getting stuck.

Wipers
Winter brings precipitation, be it rain, snow, sleet or all of the above. Have your car’s wipers inspected for normal operation and have the wiper blades replaced if they smear, streak or “chatter.” You’ll also want a full reservoir of washer fluid for the winter.

One more thing: If you live in a snowy area where the roads are routinely salted, have your car washed often throughout the winter. It will ward off rust and protect the finish of the exterior paint and wheels.

Driver takes GPS to top of cliff - and nearly over

This week's installment of bad driving comes from the UK where a 43-year-old man named Robert Jones drove a $45,000 BMW off the main road and onto an unpaved trail designed for horses, bicycles, and pedestrians, after his GPS unit told him to take the unusual way home.  Jones, delivering the vehicle from a town he was unfamiliar with, followed the path up a steep hill and through "increasingly perilous conditions," and didn't stop until he hit the fence that kept his car from going over a cliff at the top of the hill.  Rescue workers spent nine hours getting the car back down.

Jones later faced legal charges from a local court for "driving without due care and attention," and he was convicted by the court after the judge decreed that he should have paid more attention to the road and less to the blinking lights on the little screen on his dashboard. Jones now stands as one of the first drivers to be convicted in the country for overdevotion to GPS and failure to yield to common sense. The penalty: About $1000 in fines and 6 points on his license.

Jones is unapologetic, saying that it's the first time GPS has let him down and that he had no idea things could go so badly awry. But courts seem to be getting increasingly tired of such incidents, with the Telegraph claiming that overreliance on GPS is now responsible for "hundreds of thousands of extra accidents" on the roads of Britain. All because of something that's supposed to help people find the best way from point A to point B?

Get more miles out of your car and truck...stretch your vehicles life.

Due to the current economic climate, many Americans are becoming less willing to make expensive purchases. Even the nation's long-held love affair with the automobile hasn't escaped the penny-pinching trend.

The latest trends demonstrate that Americans are trying to stretch the mileage of their current vehicles. In 2006, the average car owner drove their car for 68 months before trading it in for a new vehicle. By the fourth quarter of 2008, the average trade-in was 76 months old.

The following simple and inexpensive preventive checks provided by The Automotive Service Association (www.ASAshop.org), which represents thousands of repair shops nationwide, will greatly extend the life of the vehicle and ensure safer operation:

- Always consult your owner's manual, but a good rule of thumb is to have the oil and filter changed regularly, every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

- Have all fluids checked, including brake, power steering, transmission and transaxle, winshield washer solvent and antifreeze. These fluids play a large role in the safety and performance of the vehicle.

- Keep your engine tuned. A fouled spark plug or restricted fuel injector can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30 percent.

- Have the chassis lubricated frequently. This step extends the life of the moving components of the vehicle's suspension system.

- Check battery cables and connections for corrosion, and clean them as needed.

- Have the lighting system checked frequently, including headlights, turn signals and brake and tail lights.

- Check windshield wiper blades for cracks, tears and windshield contact. Replace them approximately once a year or sooner if streaking begins.

- Inspect engine belts regularly. Worn belts will affect the engine performance. Look for cracks and missing sections or segments.

- Have the air filtration system checked frequently. The air filter should be checked approximately every other oil change for clogging or damage. This system ensures that the vehicle is performing at its peak condition.

Always consult the vehicle owner's manual for individual service schedules as manufacturer maintenance requirements will vary.

Automotive Service Association members agree to follow ASA's Code of Ethics, which is the automotive service industry's standard for professional business practices with consumers in mind. For more information, visit ASA at www.ASAshop.org

Seeking 1967 MGB Roadster in mint condition

Would love to find a replica of my first car ... 1967 MGB Roadster with wire wheels.  Hard to find in this condition.  Paid $1275 for the original ... any chance of coming close to that number again?  Still dreaming ...