Buy the maintenance plan?
Q: Purchased a new 2020 Audi A4. Salesperson wanted me to buy a maintenance plan that would cover oil changes for four years. Can my local mechanic handle the changes? Is there a reason I would need to use the dealer?
Q: I enjoy reading your column in the Hartford Courant. In a recent column, “B.K.” of Henderson, Nevada, asked about the coolant temperature in his 2005 Corvette. You replied that water boils at 212 degrees, or 226 with a 50/50 antifreeze mixture. Those would be the boiling points at sea level pressure. Most, if not all, engines have pressurized cooling systems that allow water to reach higher temperatures than that without boiling. This is why you shouldn’t remove the radiator cap from
Most, if not all, engines have pressurized cooling systems that allow water to reach higher temperatures than without boiling.
Q: I got my car in 2018 from a dealer in the San Diego area where I lived at the time. It was a “loss leader” sale. The car is in impeccable shape and I want to keep it that way. I conditioned the convertible top with a waterproof product. I’d like to know how often that is necessary. Also can you advise how I can best maintain the inner parts of the car’s convertible roof such as the rubber seals? Car is garaged in the winter.
the sun causes deterioration. Be sure your cleaner is also a UV blockers. Each fall, I suggest treating all rubber sealing parts with silicone protectant to keep them pliable.
Q: I own a 2020 Subaru Forester. The trip computer tracks MPG. After I fill up the car I reset the trip computer. When I manually calculate the MPG, it is always about 2 MPG lower than that shown on the computer. I asked a friend about his Honda Civic and he has had the same experience. Is this a case of the automakers jacking us around again?
A: A couple miles per gallon either way is within margin of error so I would not lose any sleep over a lost MPG or two. Do you do your manual calculation the instant the trip odometer hits zero-tenths of a mile?
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