Tips and Advice

2011 BMW 1-Series Review - The Car Connection The Basics: The 2011 BMW 1-Series doesn't see many changes for the new model year, but the few it does get are significant, making the 1-Series a technological standout in the entry-level luxury sports car market. Appearance is largely unaltered for 2011, with the love-it-or-leave-it styling a deciding factor for some. The 1-Series gets a new...


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2011 BMW 1-Series Reviews and Ratings The Basics: The 2011 BMW 1-Series doesn't see many changes for the new model year, but the few it does get are significant, making the 1-Series a technological standout in the entry-level luxury sports car market. Appearance is largely unaltered for 2011, with the love-it-or-leave-it styling a deciding factor for some. The 1-Series gets a new...


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Q--I recently had occasion to change a tire. These events never happen at a good time and I was wondering how I was going to clean my hands after the job was done. It dawned on me that I had a couple of plastic sleeves from the morning newspapers in the back seat. They worked great as makeshift gloves! My hands were spotless and didn't even...
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Q--Although I read many times that rustproofing was a waste of money, the salesman convinced my wife that it would make a much quieter ride so I went along with this add-on. Now, I am having problems with the power windows. I had the driver's side repaired under warranty in 1997. It failed again in 1999 and 2000 for which I had to pay for...
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Q--I wish you would write a column directed to the automakers about how incredibly stupid that "check engine" message is. You would think they could show some other reasonable message. Every once in a while I get frantic cell phone calls from my wife or daughter when that message is displayed. How hard would it be to display 'check gas cap' or...


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Q--If a faulty or missing gas cap can signal a "check engine" warning light, what else can? I suspect a low fuel quantity will as well, but how about a low oil pressure or low oil? Would low battery voltage initiate a check engine light? Just what parameters does this check engine light cover? A--The short answer is that a problem with any...


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Q--I regularly check my tire pressure and adjust as needed. I notice when I go to my local Jiffy Lube they always seem to let air out of my tires. When I check the tires the following morning (cold), sure enough, they are way too low. Tires are always supposed to be gauged when cold (before driving). As you drive the tires heat up and pressure...


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Q--Should you use the same brand of gasoline all the time? A--It is neither necessary nor feasible--especially if you are traveling and your favorite brand is not available in the area.


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Q--I have a Jeep Cherokee 4.0 liter-engine that's approaching its recommended spark plug replacement mileage (intervals of 30,000 miles per the owners manual). I'm interested in replacing the standard plugs with a multi-electrode or split electrode platinum plug for three reasons: increased performance, increased fuel efficiency and extended...
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Q--According to the owner's manual for my new Cadillac, oil is to be changed when indicated by the DIC program. However the dealer insists the oil be changed every 3 months or 3,000 miles. I drive approximately 15,000 miles annually with about 70-percent city driving. I am confused by these contradictory instructions. Help. A--You won't harm...


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Q--You mention adding a can of fuel injector cleaner to your tank occasionally. A mechanic told me that on any vehicle over a couple of years old, adding an injector cleaner has in his experience dislodges gunk, dirt and whatever from the fuel tank, fuel lines etc. and has actually causes severe clogging in the injectors.  He says, "stay away ...
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Q--I work 9-5 behind a desk, but would like to learn how to work on automobiles during the next few years as a hobby. Could you recommend a program or training facility that might be convenient for my schedule? I am in no particular hurry to complete the training and could begin with scooter engines and slowly work my way to cars? A--I suggest...
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Q--I have a Pontiac Grand Prix GT Coupe. It has a cloth interior with a six-way power bucket seat. I like the car, but the seat is not comfortable. It doesn't have enough padding and doesn't give enough support in the leg area. The seats are also very narrow for a six-foot-tall, 200-pound person. Do you know someone who makes an aftermarket...
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Q--I enjoy reading your column. I have been working in the automobile field in one form or another for over forty years and still manage to do most of the needed maintenance myself. In the old days torque converters and oil pans had drain plugs but today's vehicles do not. As you recommend, remove the transmission pan, clean it and change the...


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Q--Two bolts broke off the exhaust manifold on my Ford F-250 pickup when I had a dual exhaust system installed on it. The Ford dealer wants $1000 to repair, and I cannot comprehend it. A--Just about all of that price is for labor, not bolts. I'm not positive, but they may have to lift the engine out, at least partially, to drill out the broken...


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Q--Many of the drivability problems I have read about in you column sound like a problem that developed in the mid '80s on vehicles using port fuel injection. Hesitation and stalling on initial startup when the engine is cold can be caused by deposits on the intake valve. They act as a sponge and deprive the cylinder of the proper air/fuel...
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Q--How durable is the clear coat finish? In the past, I used a very soft window washing brush made of natural real bristles to wash my car. Should I switch to a sponge? Also, can a snowbrush, which has plastic bristles, harm the clear coat? A--The clear coat, although pretty tough, can be damaged. I don't know much about window washing brushes...


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2010 Ford Transit Connect Wagon Review The 2010 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is virtually the same as the Transit Connect, but configured for passenger duty, with seating for four. Standard Transit Connect come with a more stark level of appointments and seating for two, with the intent that the rearward portion of the vehicle will be turned into a specialized cargo area—for a...
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2010 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Review The 2010 Rolls-Royce Phantom, be it the Sedan, the Coupe, or the Drophead Coupe, is like no other vehicle in production. Some might say it is even the epitome of luxury motoring. The large presence, attention to even the smallest details, and extreme power ensure Rolls-Royce offers the rare combination of an ultra-luxury vehicle engineered in...
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2010 Dodge Nitro Review - The Car Connection The Nitro is a strange beast; from a purely objective standpoint, it's a rebadged, somewhat reskinned version of the 2010 Jeep Liberty. From a practical standpoint, it's an old-style utility vehicle that aspires to be a car. The Liberty is not known for terrific on-road prowess, and neither is the Nitro. The Nitro's ride is stiff, but its...
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2010 Suzuki XL7 Review - The Car Connection The Suzuki XL7 is an excellent product, but it's likely not coming back after a very short run for 2010. A victim of the GM bankruptcy upheaval, not slow sales, the XL7 was closely related to several of GM's compact utility vehicles but arguably the best tuned. In addition to a handsome exterior design, the 2009 Suzuki XL7 boasts a standard...


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