Category: Automotive

Can changing your transmission fluid cause damage?

Transmission fluid is important for lubricating the parts of your transmission and reducing wear and tear caused by friction and heat. While changing your transmission fluid won’t damage the condition of your transmission, if you haven’t been changing it frequently enough, you may discover that your transmission slips. Read on to find out why.

When should transmission fluid be changed?

Every vehicle is different, so it’s no surprise that every car has different requirements for how often transmission fluid should be changed. Check your owner’s manual to find out how often you should change or check your transmission fluid. In most cars, you can check the transmission fluid by finding the transmission dipstick under the hood of your car while the engine is running. It’s usually located behind the oil dipstick. There will be markings on the dipstick indicating if there is enough transmission fluid, or if you need to add more.

To determine if you need to change the fluid, wipe the dipstick on a white paper towel or cloth and observe the color of the transmission fluid. If the fluid is bright pink, your transmission fluid is new and does not need to be changed. If the fluid is a light brown with a hint of pink, your transmission fluid will need to be replaced. If your transmission fluid hasn’t been changed in a long time, it will appear a very dark brown color and may even have metal particles floating in it, indicating the transmission is damaged.

 

Transmission Flush

The benefits of a flush are self-evident. All the old, dirty fluid is removed and replaced with fresh, high-quality fluid. As a result, your transmission should run cooler and receive maximum protection against wear to clutches, gears, and bearings. You’ll also notice smoother, more consistent shifting since the new fluid will provide more effective frictional properties. Performing a flush also helps to cleanse the transmission. Sludge and other contaminants can accumulate in the fluid due to extreme heat breaking down the fluid. These contaminants then circulate throughout the transmission before lodging in the filter. Before the filter can safely capture the contaminants, however, they run the risk of lodging in the narrow passages inside the valve body, leading to poor shift quality. Performing a flush also allows you to use a flush additive to help clean the transmission and more effectively remove accumulated sludge and other contaminants. Transmission flushes are recommended every 45,000 miles or 3 years in place of a drain and fill or to replace fluid changes altogether.

Many people will argue that a transmission flush is more effective than a drain and refill because old fluid remains in the transmission after the change, contaminating new fluid, thus, diminishing performance. With a flush, all old fluid is removed with a flush machine and then new fluid is added, allowing the transmission to perform at its best. However, the cost of a flush is significantly more than a simple drain and refill. In any case, choosing a fluid flush or a drain and refill is better than not performing any kind of maintenance on your transmission. With some vehicles, a fluid flush or change is irrelevant as they may have a sealed transmission. Refer to your owner’s manual to be sure.

 

Why Maintain Your Transmission?

Transmission maintenance benefits your vehicle in three ways:

• Prevents Overheating – Over time, particles from within the transmission and metal shavings accumulate in the transmission fluid. As it moves, the transmission as well as the fluid, begins to heat up significantly causing particles to burn and overheat internal components, resulting in system failures.
• Improves Gear Operation – When the transmission begins to overheat, the transmission fluid turns into a thick, gooey sludge, clogging gears making shifting between speeds difficult.
• Improves Fuel Efficiency – When the transmission is functioning optimally, less strain is placed on other mechanical components within the vehicle. By reducing the amount of friction produced by moving an

 

How to Fix Transmission Slipping

You can solve transmission slipping yourself if it’s simply low fluid, burnt or ineffective fluid, or transmission leaks. This will often require you to either check the fluid, change the fluid, or fix the transmission leak.

On the other hand, problems such replacing or adjusting clutches, replacing or adjusting bands, and replacing gears will require you to dismantle the transmission. These procedures are complicated to explain and will require experience.

How to Prevent Transmission Slipping

To prevent your transmission from slipping, you need to regularly maintain your vehicle. This means that you should check the fluid often for any signs of problems, such as leaking, low, dirty, or burnt fluid. Any of these signs can lead to transmission slipping. We recommend that you have your transmission flushed and a new filter installed at least once every 30,000 miles.

 

Can a transmission fluid flush fix shifting issues?

In most cases, no. It’s too late. Thinking that a transmission fluid flush will fix shifting issues is like expecting an engine oil change to fix a neglected worn out engine. However, there are a few instances where a transmission fluid flush along with fluid additives like Lucas transmission can fix shifting issues.

When can a transmission fluid flush fix shifting issues?

Old worn out fluid loses prevents clutch discs and steel discs from bonding when under high pressure because the fluid’s friction additives are depleted. Fresh transmission fluid contains new friction enhancing additives, along with seal conditioning additives. If you catch a shifting issue very early, a transmission fluid flush can sometimes fix shifting issues. The fresh fluid helps clutch discs and steel discs bond and hold without slipping. The seal conditioners in the new fluid help soften the clutch piston lip seals so they seal better.

Buy­ing a New or Used Car

Whether you’re buying a new car or a used car, a little research up front can help ensure that you get the best value for your money. Make sure to take your time and shop around.

Buying a car is a major purchase; it is also usually a complex transaction involving a contract, financing, and a warranty. You will want to think carefully about each of these aspects of your decision. You will also want to be aware of some specific protections are available to you under the law.

Car Safety

You may consider the vehicle’s safety when considering a purchase.  Crash testing results are available. When buying any car, new or used, you can check to see if the vehicle has any unresolved safety recalls and its safety recall history.

Shopping for a Car

First you must choose between buying a new car and buying a used car. A new car may cost more but will come with a longer warranty and no history of abuse or neglect. However, new cars depreciate (lose value) almost immediately when they leave the new car lot, which means that if you can find a well-cared-for used car, it might be a good bargain.

Consider the price of the car. This sounds obvious, but car dealers, new or used, may tempt you with a low monthly payment. You should be sure to look at the total price of the car, including interest.

 

Things You Should Say To A Car Salesmen

Let’s face it, buying a car is the worst type of psychological warfare. The back-and-forth between you and the salespeople can be exhausting and excruciating. And while there are a lot of things you should watch out for when negotiating the slippery slope of a car deal, and things you should listen for that the salesman might say, there are also a few things that you, as the buyer, can say to mess with the salesman’s mind and get yourself the best deal possible.

“I need to have my trade-in appraised.”

Appraised? Say what?! Car salesmen never want you to have your current vehicle appraised. They certainly don’t want you coming into their dealership with a written appraisal from an outside third party. The salespeople at your local car dealership want to give your current car a quick glance and then low ball you on the trade-in value. Telling them that you’re getting the car professionally appraised will make the salespeople nervous and put pressure on them to get you to trade-in your current car right then and there before its true value becomes known. This is a bit of a role reversal where you put pressure on the sales staff to make a deal before the value of your used car goes up. Smart, as it will put the car salesman off balance.

“I like this car. But I don’t love it.”

Car salespeople know that you’re more likely to buy a car if you love it. Really, really love it. When you utter a phrase such as “I like this car. But I don’t love it,” you’re telling the salesman that they need to offer you more to make you commit to a vehicle that you’re fine with but not crazy about. This phrase by you will likely be followed by phrases from the salesman such as “What would make you love it?” and “How about I throw in a year-long subscription to satellite radio?” or “Let me see what I can do on the cost of an extended warranty.” By seeming less interested in the car, you put pressure on the salesman to sweeten the offer and convince you to buy the car you’re looking at. Never seem too enthusiastic about a particular vehicle. Play it cool and you will be rewarded with upgrades, additional options and a better price.

“I don’t have a credit card.”

The first thing that most car salesmen do is ask you for your credit card. And there’s a psychological reason for this tactic. It is to make you feel trapped and that you have to make a deal and buy a car to get your credit card back. Don’t fall for it. Better yet, tell the salesman that you don’t own a credit card or that you’ll give him or her your credit card once a deal is reached and you’re ready to put a deposit on your credit card. By not giving the salespeople your credit card right away, you’re forcing them to work harder to reach a deal with you and secure your credit card. Again, put the pressure on the sales staff. Don’t let them put pressure on you by holding your finances ransom. Be subtle but insistent. And if the salesmen asks for your credit card more than once, ignore them

“I know the deal is done. But can you throw this in too?”

Car salesmen love to try and throw in some extra charges after a deal has been reached on the price of a vehicle. But who says they are the only people who can employ this tactic? Nothing is preventing you from asking for some extras or upgrades before the money finally changes hands. Remember, the deposit you put down on a vehicle—typically $500 or $1,000—is refundable. Until you exchange the full agreed upon amount for a car and take possession of it, you can always back out of a car deal. Most dealers also give you 30 or 60 days to return a vehicle if you’re not happy with it. So take full advantage of this time to try and squeeze every last thing you can out of the car dealership. Ask for rubber mats to be thrown in free of charge, or for Bluetooth to be installed. Why not ask for the tow package or an aftermarket DVD player to be added? Trust us, now’s the time to negotiate these extras. Once the salesman feels he has a deal, he’ll be under pressure to placate you and ensure that the sale goes through.

 

things everyone should ask when buying a used car

Getting a car for a good price is not the only thing that you should consider when deciding to purchase a new or second-hand car, even if this is usually the deciding factor for many of us. But there is so much more that should be considered, to make sure that deal that you get is not only well priced but that you get the best possible value for your money.

Remembering to ask the right questions when buying a car is essential. A previous owner may not mention that the car hasn’t been serviced by a professional in 2 years, yet this is vital information in helping you pick the best car you can afford. Not asking all or the correct questions is an easy mistake to make, because unless you have spent years working in car sales, you would possibly not know what all to ask your prospective seller.

In the market of buying a new car? There is a whole range of used vehicles on AutoTrader for you to peruse through and to consider.

 

essential car accessories that you must have

Every car owner has to put up with some dire times every now and then. Things like flat tires, dead batteries, etc. are the kind that can leave you high and dry. While advancements in technology have more or less cured some plaguing issues for car owners, no one wants to see their car in a bad shape. We went around, talked to a few people and asked them about the things they would want in their vehicles at all times. We came up with a list which is not exhaustive but covers almost all of your needs

If you do not own a garage, chances are you would spend a lot of morning doing nothing but ensuring your car is clean as the one who is paid to do so has not showed up (that guy also is a recipient of a lot of curses). However, very few of us actually bother with keeping our cars protected from dust, dirt, Mother Nature (diarrhea-struck birds, caterpillars taking a walk, ants out on a trek, etc.). In such a case, if your car could be covered, all you would have to do every morning is take the cover off, sit in the car and drive off.

Cleaning cloth

A problem with keeping a car cover is that using it when you have parked your car at the office would make you feel like a fool (try it if you disagree with us). IN such a case, a cleaning cloth is the kind of accessory that would come to your rescue as cars get dirty standing in parking lots too. By using a cleaning cloth, you would be able to wipe off the dirt, dust, etc. from your car and would not need to put up with a car that is not as clean as it was when you drove it from your home to office. Now, you cannot use any cloth as a cleaning cloth for your car as it might damage your car’s paint too

Seats cover and floor mats

After covering the car on the outside, we move to the inside which is where you will be spending the most of your time with your car. Nowadays, many cars come with seat covers and floor mats as features covered by variants or accessories offered by dealers as essentials. However, most of the times, these accessories do not cover your needs the way you want them to. Case in point for things like seat covers and floor mats. You do not want to soil your car’s factory seat covers as they will help you fetch a good price on resale market. Similarly, you do not wish to spoil the car’s floor and hence, need good quality floor mats.

Maintaining a car is tiresome experience. Keeping it mechanically sound and clean inside-out requires a lot of effort. However, no matter how clean your car is on the inside, you would not want to sit in a place that does not smell nice. No! No! We are not judging your cleaning skills. What we are saying is not to take a chance after you have done all that effort to keep your car in top shape. Invest in a nice air freshener to ensure you feel nice when you take your car for a spin. If your smells nice, driving your car around will not feel like chore.

Puncture repair kit

An important part of your car is the set of tyres it runs on. These tyres help your car in putting down the power you ask it, help it to stop in time and help you to stay safe when you drive around in inclement weather conditions. So, ignoring your car’s tyres is not something you can afford to do. But sometimes, you do not get to know till late that your car’s tyres had been suffering until you park your car for some time. When you come back, you realise one of the tyres of your car have gone flat and now, since you cannot drive your car in that state, you are left stranded. Well, not anymore. With the mass availability of tubeless tyres on almost all cars, puncture repair kits have also become widespread and can help you in getting out of the fix called a flat tyre. You can still use a spare wheel but those trips to the local puncture repair guy is what you will be able to avoid

 

Tips on the smart way to buy a used car

Sales of new vehicles may have hit a record high, surpassing the two-million mark for the first time last year, but the majority of consumers are still projected to buy used primarily for one key reason: cost savings.

It’s been well established that new vehicles incur rapid depreciation as soon as they’re driven off the lot. Most new cars can lose up to 50 per cent of their value during the first fours years of ownership.

But looking to save money buying second-hand shouldn’t preclude buyers from wanting to ensure their car is in top condition, cautions George Iny, president of the Automobile Protection Association.

“We then looked at the cheapest seven of them and there was a story with every single ad: curb-sider, accident reconstruction, sketchy maintenance, collisions. So you’d be better off looking for used vehicles that are higher priced and bringing an ad for one of the low-priced models that’s similar to negotiate with the seller.”

But if a seller can’t show you a car’s full history, copying down its vehicle identification number (VIN) to get a CarProof report can help identify previous accident claims and any outstanding liens