Try It This Way ...

AuthorHouse

Chapter One

Go ahead and accuse me of simplistic thinking if you like, but I think I can tell something about a person by the way they take care of their vehicle and the way they behave behind the wheel. Of course what I think doesn't matter. What matters is what's going on for you. Having said that, I suspect that how you care for your motor vehicle and how you drive might provide some clues to your inner state.

We spend a lot of time in our vehicles. Don't ruin that time by being angry at other drivers or impatient with traffic and red lights. Try to remember that the people in all those other cars and trucks are not there just to irritate you and obstruct your way. Actually, they're trying to get somewhere else just like you are. They breathe air and bleed red just like you do.

A guy I know had an epiphany experience on this topic. He used to be an uptight, angry driver and hated his commute. One day it hit him "... those other drivers are just like me. They're just trying to get where they're going. They don't mean me any harm. In fact, we're connected ..." Since that epiphany, he's been a changed man in traffic ... and in life.

I had a similar but less dramatic experience and it's changed me too. I recall years ago that a light would go red in front of me, my stomach would tighten, as would my grip on the wheel and I would fume until I would start again. Sometimes I would look at older drivers who seemed to be completely calm and at peace, patiently waiting for the light to change back to green. I would wonder to myself, "I wonder whether I will ever be that way when I'm older, retired, and with lots of time on my hands."

Now I can answer "yes", because that is precisely how it is for me now. Part of it is simply being "... older, retired, and with lots of time on my hands." Part of it was training for my Class 4 license, which I needed to drive passengers for pay, as I do now as a shuttle driver in one of my current part-time occupations. When I contemplated earning my Class 4 license, I realized that I may have established some bad habits since 1965, when I got my driver's license.

So I enrolled with a driving school and told the teacher I wanted to train for a Class 4 license. What an experience that was, taking driver training again after 45 years. It changed the way I drive. Believe it or not, now I actually obey traffic signs, the rules of the road, and speed limits. I guess now I drive like an old guy (only more alert), and I don't think that's a bad thing. My priority has changed from getting there fast to getting there safely – and without a ticket. Now I get there almost as fast, and I'm no longer a resentful, uptight, nervous wreck behind the wheel. It's much better this way.

Let's switch from the philosophy of driving attitudes to some practical rules on maintenance. We need to be able to rely on our vehicles. Treat them carefully and respectfully. Remember how thrilled you were with your first car when you bought it?

Change your oil every 5,000 km

Changing your oil regularly is the simplest and most effective thing you can do to maintain the long term health of your engine. So be religious about your oil changes. The easiest way to remember when your car is due for a change is to get your next change on a 5,000 km point. Then from there it will be easy to remember the next change due. So if your baby has 82,426 km, change the oil when you get to the 85,000 km point. Next change will be 90,000 km and so forth.

Prefer a garage to a drive-through oil change. You will likely need to make an appointment, but so what? Do it. If you take your car or truck to a garage rather than a drive-through, the staff will eventually get to know you and your car. I believe that if they know you and know your car, they will be much more likely to act in your best interest. The guys that work in the drive-through places will remain strangers and will almost always try to up-sell you on something you may not need.

Most shops offer some sort of "21 point inspection" along with your oil change. That's a good way for you to find out if something else needs attention. If your car is getting an oil change at a garage and something else does need attention, you'll be in the right place to get it done. At a drive-through, you have guys that know how to change oil quickly. At a garage you have mechanics, who know how to take care of whatever your car needs.

Develop a business relationship with your service advisor

If you get your oil changes done at a garage, find one you like and go to the same garage for all your service needs. That way you will develop a business relationship with your service writer. Once you find a garage and service writer that you trust, treat him like you trust him. Very likely, he will act in accordance with that trust.

I've been doing this for years and it has worked well for me. I go to the same garage every time. I call the service manager by name and make sure I remind him of my name when I book the appointment. Before long, he knows me and my vehicles and we trust each other.

Early on in the relationship, sometimes I put them to the test a little. For example, I may be quite sure that my brakes are working fine and don't need any rotor or disk work. But when I book an oil change, I ask them to check the brakes at the same time. After the oil change is done, when I get a report that the brakes are fine with a recommendation we check them again in 6 months, I check off a little box mentally. That's the beginning of trust.

If you relocate or the shop changes ownership, you'll need to start over again. It's still worth it. Be a good customer. That means you don't question their assessments and you don't groan and complain about something on your bill costing $10 more than you thought it would. A good business relationship is a two-way street. You want good service? Try being a good customer. The next time your car won't start and is towed into their shop without an appointment, they might fix it up for you the same day.

Of course the above rules pertain to off-warranty work. If your vehicle is new, you'll need to get your servicing done at the dealership where you bought the car or another dealership that sells the same brand. When that's the case, you shouldn't have much to worry about anyway. If your vehicle is new, it shouldn't need much in the way of expensive repairs. If it does, your warranty will pay for it.

Keep your tank half full – drive on the top half of your tank

Driving with your tank at least half full provides the advantage of reducing the amount of dirt and crud in your engine. In cold winter weather, you have a greatly reduced likelihood of experiencing the heartbreak of your car's not starting because its gas line is frozen. Should you get stopped or stuck on a cold winter's night, you don't want your tank at 1/8, because you'll need to run the engine to stay warm and avoid freezing to death. Perhaps most importantly, you will have the psychological comfort that comes from knowing that your tank is at least half full. You have a reasonable driving range and you won't run out of gas.

And, if you happen to tend toward being a redneck, the value of your pickup truck increases when you fill 'er up.

Buying gasoline

This topic is interesting to many people. Like a lot...