Fall Car Care 2014

Page 8 — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 Fall Car Care GuideMuskogee Phoenix

FFaallll CCaarr CCaarreeFFaallll CCaarr CCaarreeMuskogee Phoenix Advertorial

Oct. 18, 2014

muskogeephoenix.com

Metro Creative

Many people will rememberthe winter of 2013-14 for all thewrong reasons. Record low tem-peratures and heavy snowfallwere the story last winter. Withwinter now on the horizon onceagain, many motorists are look-ing for ways to ensure theirdaily commutes or holiday tripsto visit family and friends areas safe as possible.

When wintry conditions,including snowfall, compromisedriving conditions, it’s best formotorists to stay home. Butavoiding roadways altogether isnot always an option, somotorists who simply must ven-ture out onto the roadways thiswinter can employ the followingstrategies to ensure they safelyarrive at their destinations.

• Consider winter tires. Manydrivers are unsure if they needwinter tires. All-season tiresmay suffice for those driverswho live in regions where heavysnowfall is uncommon. But win-ter tires are designed to per-form when the temperaturesare especially cold and in driv-ing conditions featuring ice,slush and snow. Drivers wholive in regions where snowfall issignificant or even expected tobe significant may want toinstall winter tires just to be onthe safe side. Some drivers mis-takenly believe that vehicle fea-tures such as anti-lock brakingsystems and traction controlmake their tires more capableof handling wintry roads. Butsuch features do not providemore traction. ABS and tractioncontrol only prevent driversfrom over-braking or overpow-ering the traction of their tires.Only better tires will improvetraction.

• Drive slowly. Many driversmistakenly believe they onlyneed to drive slow when snow isfalling. But winter weather canmake roadways unsafe even inareas that have not witnessed asingle snowflake fall from thesky. Wet winter roads canquickly turn into icy winterroads, and no ABS system or

traction control device can pre-vent a car that’s traveling toofast from skidding out. Poor vis-ibility is another reason to driveslowly in winter. Peripheralvision is often compromisedwhen driving in winter, as dirt,salt or sand buildup on wind-shields and side windows andmirrors can make it hard formotorists to fully view theirsurroundings. Even if yourvision is not compromised, a fel-low motorist’s might be. So easeup on the gas pedal in winter soyou have more time to react topotentially adverse conditions.

• Don’t drive too closely toother motorists. In addition todriving slowly, motorists alsoshould leave extra roombetween their vehicles and thevehicles in front of them. Insuch conditions, for every 10miles per hour drive a mini-mum of four car lengths behindthe motorist in front of you. Soif you are driving 50 miles perhour, be sure to leave 20 carlengths between you and thecar ahead of you. This gives youample time to react and buildsin some extra response timeshould your visibility be com-promised.

• Maintain your vehicle. Avehicle should be maintainedregardless of the season, but it’sespecially important that yourvehicle perform at its peak inwinter. A vehicle’s battery andwindshield wipers are a winterdriver’s best friend, but only ifthey are operating at optimalcapacity. Being stranded on aroadside in winter is more dan-gerous than in any other time ofyear. That’s because driver visi-bility is more compromised inwinter, and it can be hard formotorists to see or avoid vehi-cles on the side of the road.Maintain proper fluid levelsand make sure your battery ischarged and the gas tank is fullbefore making any winter trips.

Wintry conditions often makedriving especially hazardous.But drivers who adopt certainhabits when driving in wintercan greatly reduce their risk ofaccidents.

How to stay safe on wintry roads

Metro Creative

Winter storms often make for unsafe driving conditions, and motorists must alter their habitswhen making winter trips.

Most people purchase acar for its looks and per-formance. However, unlessthe auto is kept in agarage and never driven,it is impossible to keep itin pristine condition. Inmany cases, damage to theclear coat or enamel painton the car is somethingvehicle owners expect.

A car owner who decideshe or she wants the car toremain in the best shapepossible will have to takean active role in mainte-nance and damage pre-vention. One of the keythings to remember is tonever allow any substanceto remain on the paint fortoo long; otherwise therisk for damage increases.Also, it may be very diffi-cult to clean if the offend-er is allowed to sit on thepaint. Here are some otherfactors to consider.

• UV light: Just as UVlight can affect skin, hairand other parts of thebody, it also can affect thepaint on a car. UV raysoxidize the paint andcause a white, powderyfilm to form on the car.Washing the car frequent-ly enough and applyingthe best quality wax willhelp keep UV rays frompenetrating through thepaint.

• Over sprays: Life doesnot stop to allow cars todrive through, particular-ly when it comes to con-struction zones. It’s possi-ble for a car to be dousedin paint spray, tar, con-crete, and other chemicalsthat are routinely used inconstruction. Do not allowthese substances to hard-en on the car. Rinsepromptly with automotivesoap. Try to avoid con-

struction zones wheneverpossible.

• Rain: Both acid rainand regular rainwater(and other sources ofwater) can dissolve paintover time. The U.S.Geological Survey hassaid that water is a uni-versal solvent because itcan dissolve more sub-stances than any other liq-uid. Whenever the carbecomes wet, it should bedried with a towel orchamois and not allowedto air dry.

• Natural substances:Tree sap, bird droppingsand splattered insectscontain compounds thatcan erode the paint on acar. Avoid parking underlarge trees where sap andbird droppings may beprevalent. In terms of bugsplatter, try to wash it offas soon as possible to alle-viate damage.

• Eggs: Oftentimes,rambunctious childrenthink it is funny to egg acar. However, the enzymesand sulfur content in eggscan cause paint and clearcoat to dissolve, leavingwhite spots in the wake ofthe egg. Because egg canbe sticky and very hard toremove once dried, it ishelpful to wash it off assoon as possible. It takesonly a few hours for thedamage to be permanent.

• Bleach: Although ableach-and-water solutionis often heralded for itsability to clean manythings, it should not beused on a car. Bleach is anoxidizer and it will pitmetal and discolor paint.Be careful with pool chem-icals as well, as chlorina-tor is usually regularhousehold bleach.

There are many thingsthat can damage a carpaint job. Although it’simpossible to shield thecar from everything, thereare precautions that canbe taken.

Things that mar an automotive paint jobFall Car Care Guide Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 — Page 7Muskogee PhoenixPage 2 — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 Fall Car Care GuideMuskogee Phoenix

Leaves present safety hazard

Metro Creative

Watching leaves turnbrilliant shades of colorand fall from the trees is afavorite activity each fall.

Drivers travel near andfar to witness spectacularand colorful displays offall foliage, hoping tocatch the peak hues intheir respective areas ofthe country.

While falling leaves canbe a sight to behold, thoseleaves can become a nui-sance to drivers in variousways.

Understanding certaininconveniences and safetyrisks posed by falling

leaves can help motoristsprotect their vehicle andthemselves.

Leaves can do morethan just stain driveways;they also can damage avehicle’s paint job.

Should wet leaves, sapand other chemicals thatleach out of the leavesstay on a car for anextended period of time,they can cause an outlinestain and damage to thepaint.

It’s important to manu-ally pick leaves off of thecar’s surface right afterthey fall.

Do not sweep themaway; otherwise theleaves can scratch thepaint surface. When allthe leaves have beenremoved, thoroughlywash and dry the vehicle.

Should stains be pres-

ent already, use a com-mercial leaf-stainremover or automotivepaint cleaner. Tackle onestain at a time.

Leaves that fall canbecome trapped in airintake vents, eventuallyimpeding flow and caus-ing odors. Leaves that fallin the groove of the wind-

shield by the windshieldwipers should beremoved. Use a high-pow-ered shop vacuum toremove any leaves thatare imbedded in the vent-ing.

Check other areas of thecar where leaves canbecome problematic, suchas under the vehicle or inthe rear exhaust pipe.

The Car Care Councilnotes that wet leaves onthe surface of roadwayscan be hazardous. Wetleaves can make road-ways quite slippery, evenas slippery as roadwayswhen snow is falling.Drivers should slow downwhen roads are coveredwith wet leaves and taketurns and off-ramps morecarefully.

Dry leaves also can poseproblems, as they tend toaccumulate at the edgesof roads, where they easi-ly can obscure curbs orstreet markings. Leavesmay fill potholes, givingthe false impression thata road is smooth andcausing damage to tiresand suspension systemswhen drivers drive overthem.

Autumn leaves may bebeautiful to see, but theycan complicate drivingand fall car care.Motorists should keeptheir cars clear of leavesand use caution on road-ways.

Metro Creative

Autumn and driving seem to be tailor-made for oneanother, and they can be if motorists exercise cautionwhen driving near fallen leaves.

Understand risks,inconveniences to protect your

vehicle, yourselfDo not sweep leaves

away; remove them from the car’s

surface by hand.

Metro Creative

Washing off harmful substances promptly can reduce the chances of damage to a car’s paint job.

Proper care canextend the life ofyour car’s finish

for years to come

A key thing to remember in

preserving yourcar’s finish is to never allow

any substance to remain on the

paint for too long.

Metro Creative

Many motorists noticethat their vehicles seem toget less miles per gallon incold weather than inwarm weather. That’s nota trick of the brain, asstudies have shown thatcars do, in fact, have poor-er fuel in economy in coldweather.

According to the UnitedStates Department ofEnergy, fuel economy testshave indicated that, whendriving in short-trip citydriving, a conventionalgasoline car’s gas mileageis about 12 percent lowerat 20 F than it would be at77 F. The disparity is evengreater in hybrid vehicles,which can see their fueleconomy decline by rough-ly 34 percent when drivenat 20 F. Before drivers canunderstand how toimprove their winter fueleconomy, it’s beneficial tolearn why cold weatherhas such an adverse effecton a car’s fuel economy.

A host of factors com-bine to reduce fuel econo-my in the winter. Whentemperatures dip, engineoil and other drive-linefluids also get colder, andthis increases engine andtransmission friction.That forces the vehicle towork harder and use morefuel. An engine also takeslonger to reach its mostfuel-efficient temperaturewhen the weather outsideis cold. This won’t have toogreat an impact on fuelefficiency when takinglong trips, but the shorterthe trip the less economi-cal the vehicle’s use of fuelwill be, as a shorter tripmeans the vehicle isspending a larger percent-age of the overall drive ata less fuel efficient tem-perature.

Another reason fueleconomy suffers in thewinter is the necessitiesand certain creature com-forts drivers need whendriving in the cold weath-er. Windshield defrosters

and vehicle heating sys-tems use a substantialamount of power, and thatusage forces the vehicle toexpend more energy anduse more fuel. And whilemany drivers considerheated seats one of thegreatest automotiveinventions known to man,those seats also use up alot of power that negative-ly impacts fuel economy.

But factors outside thevehicle also impact its fueleconomy in the winter. Forexample, colder tempera-tures decrease tire pres-sure, and that increasesroll resistance, whichmeans the car must workharder and use more fuelto get down the streetthan it would if it wereriding on fully inflatedtires in the summertime.Cold air also is more densethan warm air, and thatincreases aerodynamicdrag on the vehicle, whichthen needs to use morefuel to counter theincreased drag.

So what can be done toimprove fuel economy inthe winter? Fortunately,drivers can take severalsteps to do just that.

• Park the vehicle in agarage. Leaving your carin the driveway in the win-ter means you might haveto dig the vehicle out comewinter snowstorms. Butthat’s not the only incon-venience of parking yourvehicle outside in the win-ter, as doing so canadversely affect its fueleconomy. When possible,park the car in the garage,as this increases the initialtemperature of the engine,engine oil, drive-line flu-ids, and the vehicle’s cabin.This can shorten the timeit takes for the engine toreach its most fuel-effi-cient temperature whiledecreasing the engine andtransmission friction thatnegatively impacts fuelefficiency.

• Disregard convention-al wisdom. Conventionalwisdom has long suggest-ed that idling a vehicle forseveral minutes will warmup the engine more quick-ly than simply driving.But many vehicle manu-facturers now recommendthat drivers idle theirvehicles for no more than30 seconds, noting thatidling the car unnecessari-ly wastes fuel and thatdriving the vehicle is thefastest way to warm up itsengine. If you must warmup the vehicle, stick to thenow widely acceptedguideline that recom-mends idling for no morethan half a minute.

Another nugget of con-ventional wisdommotorists may want toignore concerns the motoroil they use in the winter.Many vehicle manufactur-ers now recommend a spe-cific type of oil to use whendriving in cold weather, sofollow that advice insteadof adhering to past prac-tices that may not havebeen as fuel efficient.

• Monitor tire pressure.As noted, colder tempera-tures decrease tire pres-sure, so drivers shouldmonitor their tire pres-sure regularly throughoutwinter to keep their vehi-cle safe and to ensure theyare not wasting fuel.

• Remove the roof rack.Summer adventurists wholove tying their mountainbike or kayak to theirvehicles’ roof rack beforeheading off to exploreparts unknown shouldremove those roof rackswhen the temperaturesdip. Roof racks increasewind resistance anddecrease fuel economy, soremove them during theoffseasons.

Fuel economy willalmost certainly decreasewhen the mercury drops.But drivers can employ anumber of strategies tomake their vehicles morefuel efficient in coldweather.

How to improve winter fuel economyBeing stuck on the side

of the road or withoutheat during winter tem-peratures is somethingmost people would like toavoid.

Automobile ServiceManager Gregg Walton

said themost costlyand detri-m e n t a lthing to anautomobileis lack ofm a i n t e -nance.

“You have to stay on topof your maintenance,”Walton said.

There are severalthings to look for whenpreparing a car for thewinter temperatures.John Easttom DodgeChrysler Chevrolet, locat-

ed at 2307 Business U.S.69 South in Checotah, canhelp winterize vehicles.

Walton said it’s up tothe car’s driver to beaware and notice signs orsounds of damage.

“They drive it everyday,” Walton said. “Makemention of it when theycome in for a regular serv-

ice.”Checking belts and

hoses is one way to avoidcostly maintenance downthe road.

“The longer you let it gothe worse it can get,”Walton said.

Making sure the carbelts aren’t cracked orfrayed and making surehoses are not swollen canbe beneficial.

“Make sure they aren’ttoo soft or too hard,”Walton said. “There’s ahappy medium.”

It won’t take long torealize a car heater is outwhen Oklahoma reachesfreezing temperatures.Walton said it’s importantto check a car’s heatingsystem before the heater

Fall Car Care Guide Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 — Page 3Muskogee PhoenixPage 6 — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 Fall Car Care GuideMuskogee Phoenix

Check to ensure car is winter-readyIf you go

WHAT: John EasttomDodge Chrysler Jeep.

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 6p.m. Mondays throughFridays. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturdays.

WHERE: 2307Business U.S. 69 South,Checotah.

INFORMATION:Service, (877) 488-7540.Parts, (877) 351-4541.

Walton

Christ Stewart, a technician at John Easttom Dodge Chrysler Chevrolet, checks aradiator hose. Stewart said hoses can clog and start to leak if not properly checked.

(See CHECK, Page 5)

Metro Creative

Winter driving can take a toll on your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Metro Creative

Few things can be morefrustrating than jumpinginto the driver’s seat on afrosty morning, turningthe key in the ignition andfailing to hear the engineroar to life. Frigid weath-er can cause trouble witha car’s battery. Some driv-ers do not understandwhy, but getting the factscan help people avoid hav-ing to deal with dead bat-teries on cold winter days.

Cold temperatureswreak havoc on batteriesbecause they slow thechemical reaction insideof the battery. Batterieswork by combining leadplates with lead dioxideand sulfuric acid to createelectrons. While batteriescan function under myri-ad conditions, the coldweather tends to degradehigh-quality batteries andmay render subpar bat-teries useless. The coldweather can cause thefluid in the battery tofreeze and lose function. Abattery that is frozen willnot hold a charge, and, asa result, the car won’tstart.

There are various waysto protect a battery fromfailure in the cold, and

some of them involve tak-ing precautionary meas-ures even before thearrival of cold weather.

• Assess the age of yourbattery. If your battery isold, now may be the timeto replace it. Batteries dif-fer in how long they last,but many last anywherefrom five to 10 years. If

your car is still runningon its original battery andyour card is several yearsold, it may be a good ideato get a new batterybefore the arrival of win-ter. Battery size will notnecessarily provide betterstarting. It’s important tobuy the correct battery forthe make of your car,

which can usually befound inside of theowner’s manual.

• Verify that there is nocorrosion. Corrosion canprevent a car from start-ing just as much as aworn-out battery.Corrosion is caused by afaulty connection thatallows battery acid to

escape and corrode sur-rounding areas. Regularlyinspect the battery tokeep abreast of issuesthat may cause corrosion.Carefully clean away anycorrosive residue that hasformed and make sure thebattery is correctly seat-ed.

• Install a battery blan-ket. A battery blanket isused to wrap around thebattery and fit inside ofthe battery cover. A cordwith a plug runs from theblanket to a wall outlet.The blanket can produceenough heat to keep thebattery fluid from freez-ing. A trickle charger canalso be mounted on thebattery. It will deliverenough power to the bat-tery while the car is off tokeep it from freezing.

• Minimize the use ofautomotive accessories.Do not start the car withthe heater and the radioon. They can use up thepower coming from the

car’s alternator and pre-vent the battery fromcharging. Do not leave theheat and the radio onwhile the car is idling.Otherwise the car will notbe putting out enoughpower for the alternatorto charge the battery andpower the electrical sys-tems.

• Disconnect the bat-tery. If your car will bestored in a garage for thewinter, disconnect the bat-tery. Certain devices, suchas clocks and alarm sys-tems, continue to drainbattery power when thevehicle is off. If your carwill not be driven enoughto recharge the battery,keep it disconnected whenthe automobile is beingstored.

Cold weather can some-times wreak havoc onvehicles. Knowing how toskirt trouble with yourcar’s battery can keepyour car on the roadthroughout the winter.

is needed.“Make sure it’s perform-

ing properly and blowingout the vents properly.”

Checking the fuelingsystem, and draining andrefilling as needed isanother way to prepare acar for winter. Checkingthe car’scoolant/antifreeze levelscan also help reducemaintenance costs.

Walton said in somecases, especially in theradiator area, it’s impor-tant to have someoneexperienced look at thecar instead of trying the“do-it-yourself” approach.

“Unless they havemechanical abilities, don’tmess with the cap,”Walton said.

One temptation duringthe freezing winter tem-peratures is to leave thecar running while gettingfuel. Walton said there aretwo reasons that is a badidea.

One reason Walton saidis that it can cause thecar’s warning lights tocome on. The other is

more evident.“It’s dangerous,” Walton

said. “The least littlespark will set it off.”


Checking tires key to preparing cars for winter Car battery care in extreme weather

Wiseman Bros.Discount Tires is a fami-ly-owned company thathas served Muskogeesince 1970. MikeWiseman, co-owner, saidhe is the third generationof family owners.

In order to prepare acar for the coming winter,Wiseman Bros. DiscountTire offers afree winteri-zation checkat both loca-tions, 1200N. York St.and 503 N.32nd St.

“ C h e c k -ups lead tos a v i n gmoney or prevention ofaccidents,” Wiseman said.

Wiseman said checkingtires can make a big dif-ference on a vehicle dur-ing the winter.

“You want to checkbelts, hoses, andantifreeze,” Wisemansaid. “The main thing isthe tires.”

Checking air pressureis an easy way to stay ontop of tire conditions.Wiseman Discount Tireswill check air pressurefor free.

Ronnie Wiseman, serv-ice technician, said it’simportant to check tiresto avoid future problems.

“You’re looking forchoppiness on inside andoutside,” Wiseman said.“Uneven wear across thetire could be an align-

ment problem.”Other things to look at

are lack of tread, dry orcracked tires due to age.

Wiseman said the stan-dard life of a tire shouldbe a maximum of sixyears. To locate the year atire was made, Wisemansaid look at theDepartment ofTransportation or DOTcode.

“It’s the last four num-bers, just like a bar code,”Wiseman said.

The DOT code is locat-ed on the outside of thetire. The last four num-bers are the manufactur-ers code, which revealsthe week and the yearthe tire was made.

The average cost of newtires can range from $250to $300 on small vehicles,Wiseman said. On biggertrucks, the costs can endup in the $900 to $1,000range.

Mark Wiseman said hisstaff is friendly, knowl-edgeable, and honest.

“Honesty is important,”he said.

Wiseman said walk-insare always welcome forwinterization or air-pres-sure checks or you cancall to make an appoint-ment.

If you goWHAT: Wiseman Bros.

Discount Tire.WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5:30

p.m. Mondays throughFridays; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Saturdays.

WHERE: 1200 N. YorkSt. or 503 N. 32nd St.

INFORMATION: 32ndStreet, (918) 687-4822;York Street (918) 687-7461; or online atwww.muskogeetire.com.

Phoenix staff photo

Wiseman Bros. Discount Tire mechanic Shawn Bird, left, changes the springs and shocks on a vehicle as co-owner Mark Wiseman watches. Winterization check-ups are free at both Wiseman Bros. Discount Tire locations.

MarkWiseman

Family-ownedDiscount Tires

offers freewinterization

check

“You want to check belts, hoses, and an-tifreeze. The main thing is the tires.”

— Mark Wiseman,co-owner

Wiseman Bros. Discount Tires

CheckContinued from Page 1A

Metro Creative

Drivers should replace old car batteries before the arrival of winter weather.

Metro Creative

Few things can be morefrustrating than jumpinginto the driver’s seat on afrosty morning, turningthe key in the ignition andfailing to hear the engineroar to life. Frigid weath-er can cause trouble witha car’s battery. Some driv-ers do not understandwhy, but getting the factscan help people avoid hav-ing to deal with dead bat-teries on cold winter days.

Cold temperatureswreak havoc on batteriesbecause they slow thechemical reaction insideof the battery. Batterieswork by combining leadplates with lead dioxideand sulfuric acid to createelectrons. While batteriescan function under myri-ad conditions, the coldweather tends to degradehigh-quality batteries andmay render subpar bat-teries useless. The coldweather can cause thefluid in the battery tofreeze and lose function. Abattery that is frozen willnot hold a charge, and, asa result, the car won’tstart.

There are various waysto protect a battery fromfailure in the cold, and

some of them involve tak-ing precautionary meas-ures even before thearrival of cold weather.

• Assess the age of yourbattery. If your battery isold, now may be the timeto replace it. Batteries dif-fer in how long they last,but many last anywherefrom five to 10 years. If

your car is still runningon its original battery andyour card is several yearsold, it may be a good ideato get a new batterybefore the arrival of win-ter. Battery size will notnecessarily provide betterstarting. It’s important tobuy the correct battery forthe make of your car,

which can usually befound inside of theowner’s manual.

• Verify that there is nocorrosion. Corrosion canprevent a car from start-ing just as much as aworn-out battery.Corrosion is caused by afaulty connection thatallows battery acid to

escape and corrode sur-rounding areas. Regularlyinspect the battery tokeep abreast of issuesthat may cause corrosion.Carefully clean away anycorrosive residue that hasformed and make sure thebattery is correctly seat-ed.

• Install a battery blan-ket. A battery blanket isused to wrap around thebattery and fit inside ofthe battery cover. A cordwith a plug runs from theblanket to a wall outlet.The blanket can produceenough heat to keep thebattery fluid from freez-ing. A trickle charger canalso be mounted on thebattery. It will deliverenough power to the bat-tery while the car is off tokeep it from freezing.

• Minimize the use ofautomotive accessories.Do not start the car withthe heater and the radioon. They can use up thepower coming from the

car’s alternator and pre-vent the battery fromcharging. Do not leave theheat and the radio onwhile the car is idling.Otherwise the car will notbe putting out enoughpower for the alternatorto charge the battery andpower the electrical sys-tems.

• Disconnect the bat-tery. If your car will bestored in a garage for thewinter, disconnect the bat-tery. Certain devices, suchas clocks and alarm sys-tems, continue to drainbattery power when thevehicle is off. If your carwill not be driven enoughto recharge the battery,keep it disconnected whenthe automobile is beingstored.

Cold weather can some-times wreak havoc onvehicles. Knowing how toskirt trouble with yourcar’s battery can keepyour car on the roadthroughout the winter.

is needed.“Make sure it’s perform-

ing properly and blowingout the vents properly.”

Checking the fuelingsystem, and draining andrefilling as needed isanother way to prepare acar for winter. Checkingthe car’scoolant/antifreeze levelscan also help reducemaintenance costs.

Walton said in somecases, especially in theradiator area, it’s impor-tant to have someoneexperienced look at thecar instead of trying the“do-it-yourself” approach.

“Unless they havemechanical abilities, don’tmess with the cap,”Walton said.

One temptation duringthe freezing winter tem-peratures is to leave thecar running while gettingfuel. Walton said there aretwo reasons that is a badidea.

One reason Walton saidis that it can cause thecar’s warning lights tocome on. The other is

more evident.“It’s dangerous,” Walton

said. “The least littlespark will set it off.”


Checking tires key to preparing cars for winter Car battery care in extreme weather

Wiseman Bros.Discount Tires is a fami-ly-owned company thathas served Muskogeesince 1970. MikeWiseman, co-owner, saidhe is the third generationof family owners.

In order to prepare acar for the coming winter,Wiseman Bros. DiscountTire offers afree winteri-zation checkat both loca-tions, 1200N. York St.and 503 N.32nd St.

“ C h e c k -ups lead tos a v i n gmoney or prevention ofaccidents,” Wiseman said.

Wiseman said checkingtires can make a big dif-ference on a vehicle dur-ing the winter.

“You want to checkbelts, hoses, andantifreeze,” Wisemansaid. “The main thing isthe tires.”

Checking air pressureis an easy way to stay ontop of tire conditions.Wiseman Discount Tireswill check air pressurefor free.

Ronnie Wiseman, serv-ice technician, said it’simportant to check tiresto avoid future problems.

“You’re looking forchoppiness on inside andoutside,” Wiseman said.“Uneven wear across thetire could be an align-

ment problem.”Other things to look at

are lack of tread, dry orcracked tires due to age.

Wiseman said the stan-dard life of a tire shouldbe a maximum of sixyears. To locate the year atire was made, Wisemansaid look at theDepartment ofTransportation or DOTcode.

“It’s the last four num-bers, just like a bar code,”Wiseman said.

The DOT code is locat-ed on the outside of thetire. The last four num-bers are the manufactur-ers code, which revealsthe week and the yearthe tire was made.

The average cost of newtires can range from $250to $300 on small vehicles,Wiseman said. On biggertrucks, the costs can endup in the $900 to $1,000range.

Mark Wiseman said hisstaff is friendly, knowl-edgeable, and honest.

“Honesty is important,”he said.

Wiseman said walk-insare always welcome forwinterization or air-pres-sure checks or you cancall to make an appoint-ment.

If you goWHAT: Wiseman Bros.

Discount Tire.WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5:30

p.m. Mondays throughFridays; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.Saturdays.

WHERE: 1200 N. YorkSt. or 503 N. 32nd St.

INFORMATION: 32ndStreet, (918) 687-4822;York Street (918) 687-7461; or online atwww.muskogeetire.com.

Phoenix staff photo

Wiseman Bros. Discount Tire mechanic Shawn Bird, left, changes the springs and shocks on a vehicle as co-owner Mark Wiseman watches. Winterization check-ups are free at both Wiseman Bros. Discount Tire locations.

MarkWiseman

Family-ownedDiscount Tires

offers freewinterization

check

“You want to check belts, hoses, and an-tifreeze. The main thing is the tires.”

— Mark Wiseman,co-owner

Wiseman Bros. Discount Tires

CheckContinued from Page 1A

Metro Creative

Drivers should replace old car batteries before the arrival of winter weather.

Metro Creative

Many motorists noticethat their vehicles seem toget less miles per gallon incold weather than inwarm weather. That’s nota trick of the brain, asstudies have shown thatcars do, in fact, have poor-er fuel in economy in coldweather.

According to the UnitedStates Department ofEnergy, fuel economy testshave indicated that, whendriving in short-trip citydriving, a conventionalgasoline car’s gas mileageis about 12 percent lowerat 20 F than it would be at77 F. The disparity is evengreater in hybrid vehicles,which can see their fueleconomy decline by rough-ly 34 percent when drivenat 20 F. Before drivers canunderstand how toimprove their winter fueleconomy, it’s beneficial tolearn why cold weatherhas such an adverse effecton a car’s fuel economy.

A host of factors com-bine to reduce fuel econo-my in the winter. Whentemperatures dip, engineoil and other drive-linefluids also get colder, andthis increases engine andtransmission friction.That forces the vehicle towork harder and use morefuel. An engine also takeslonger to reach its mostfuel-efficient temperaturewhen the weather outsideis cold. This won’t have toogreat an impact on fuelefficiency when takinglong trips, but the shorterthe trip the less economi-cal the vehicle’s use of fuelwill be, as a shorter tripmeans the vehicle isspending a larger percent-age of the overall drive ata less fuel efficient tem-perature.

Another reason fueleconomy suffers in thewinter is the necessitiesand certain creature com-forts drivers need whendriving in the cold weath-er. Windshield defrosters

and vehicle heating sys-tems use a substantialamount of power, and thatusage forces the vehicle toexpend more energy anduse more fuel. And whilemany drivers considerheated seats one of thegreatest automotiveinventions known to man,those seats also use up alot of power that negative-ly impacts fuel economy.

But factors outside thevehicle also impact its fueleconomy in the winter. Forexample, colder tempera-tures decrease tire pres-sure, and that increasesroll resistance, whichmeans the car must workharder and use more fuelto get down the streetthan it would if it wereriding on fully inflatedtires in the summertime.Cold air also is more densethan warm air, and thatincreases aerodynamicdrag on the vehicle, whichthen needs to use morefuel to counter theincreased drag.

So what can be done toimprove fuel economy inthe winter? Fortunately,drivers can take severalsteps to do just that.

• Park the vehicle in agarage. Leaving your carin the driveway in the win-ter means you might haveto dig the vehicle out comewinter snowstorms. Butthat’s not the only incon-venience of parking yourvehicle outside in the win-ter, as doing so canadversely affect its fueleconomy. When possible,park the car in the garage,as this increases the initialtemperature of the engine,engine oil, drive-line flu-ids, and the vehicle’s cabin.This can shorten the timeit takes for the engine toreach its most fuel-effi-cient temperature whiledecreasing the engine andtransmission friction thatnegatively impacts fuelefficiency.

• Disregard convention-al wisdom. Conventionalwisdom has long suggest-ed that idling a vehicle forseveral minutes will warmup the engine more quick-ly than simply driving.But many vehicle manu-facturers now recommendthat drivers idle theirvehicles for no more than30 seconds, noting thatidling the car unnecessari-ly wastes fuel and thatdriving the vehicle is thefastest way to warm up itsengine. If you must warmup the vehicle, stick to thenow widely acceptedguideline that recom-mends idling for no morethan half a minute.

Another nugget of con-ventional wisdommotorists may want toignore concerns the motoroil they use in the winter.Many vehicle manufactur-ers now recommend a spe-cific type of oil to use whendriving in cold weather, sofollow that advice insteadof adhering to past prac-tices that may not havebeen as fuel efficient.

• Monitor tire pressure.As noted, colder tempera-tures decrease tire pres-sure, so drivers shouldmonitor their tire pres-sure regularly throughoutwinter to keep their vehi-cle safe and to ensure theyare not wasting fuel.

• Remove the roof rack.Summer adventurists wholove tying their mountainbike or kayak to theirvehicles’ roof rack beforeheading off to exploreparts unknown shouldremove those roof rackswhen the temperaturesdip. Roof racks increasewind resistance anddecrease fuel economy, soremove them during theoffseasons.

Fuel economy willalmost certainly decreasewhen the mercury drops.But drivers can employ anumber of strategies tomake their vehicles morefuel efficient in coldweather.

How to improve winter fuel economyBeing stuck on the side

of the road or withoutheat during winter tem-peratures is somethingmost people would like toavoid.

Automobile ServiceManager Gregg Walton

said themost costlyand detri-m e n t a lthing to anautomobileis lack ofm a i n t e -nance.

“You have to stay on topof your maintenance,”Walton said.

There are severalthings to look for whenpreparing a car for thewinter temperatures.John Easttom DodgeChrysler Chevrolet, locat-

ed at 2307 Business U.S.69 South in Checotah, canhelp winterize vehicles.

Walton said it’s up tothe car’s driver to beaware and notice signs orsounds of damage.

“They drive it everyday,” Walton said. “Makemention of it when theycome in for a regular serv-

ice.”Checking belts and

hoses is one way to avoidcostly maintenance downthe road.

“The longer you let it gothe worse it can get,”Walton said.

Making sure the carbelts aren’t cracked orfrayed and making surehoses are not swollen canbe beneficial.

“Make sure they aren’ttoo soft or too hard,”Walton said. “There’s ahappy medium.”

It won’t take long torealize a car heater is outwhen Oklahoma reachesfreezing temperatures.Walton said it’s importantto check a car’s heatingsystem before the heater


Check to ensure car is winter-readyIf you go

WHAT: John EasttomDodge Chrysler Jeep.

WHEN: 8 a.m. to 6p.m. Mondays throughFridays. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Saturdays.

WHERE: 2307Business U.S. 69 South,Checotah.

INFORMATION:Service, (877) 488-7540.Parts, (877) 351-4541.

Walton

Christ Stewart, a technician at John Easttom Dodge Chrysler Chevrolet, checks aradiator hose. Stewart said hoses can clog and start to leak if not properly checked.

(See CHECK, Page 5)

Metro Creative

Winter driving can take a toll on your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Most people purchase acar for its looks and per-formance. However, unlessthe auto is kept in agarage and never driven,it is impossible to keep itin pristine condition. Inmany cases, damage to theclear coat or enamel painton the car is somethingvehicle owners expect.

A car owner who decideshe or she wants the car toremain in the best shapepossible will have to takean active role in mainte-nance and damage pre-vention. One of the keythings to remember is tonever allow any substanceto remain on the paint fortoo long; otherwise therisk for damage increases.Also, it may be very diffi-cult to clean if the offend-er is allowed to sit on thepaint. Here are some otherfactors to consider.

• UV light: Just as UVlight can affect skin, hairand other parts of thebody, it also can affect thepaint on a car. UV raysoxidize the paint andcause a white, powderyfilm to form on the car.Washing the car frequent-ly enough and applyingthe best quality wax willhelp keep UV rays frompenetrating through thepaint.

• Over sprays: Life doesnot stop to allow cars todrive through, particular-ly when it comes to con-struction zones. It’s possi-ble for a car to be dousedin paint spray, tar, con-crete, and other chemicalsthat are routinely used inconstruction. Do not allowthese substances to hard-en on the car. Rinsepromptly with automotivesoap. Try to avoid con-

struction zones wheneverpossible.

• Rain: Both acid rainand regular rainwater(and other sources ofwater) can dissolve paintover time. The U.S.Geological Survey hassaid that water is a uni-versal solvent because itcan dissolve more sub-stances than any other liq-uid. Whenever the carbecomes wet, it should bedried with a towel orchamois and not allowedto air dry.

• Natural substances:Tree sap, bird droppingsand splattered insectscontain compounds thatcan erode the paint on acar. Avoid parking underlarge trees where sap andbird droppings may beprevalent. In terms of bugsplatter, try to wash it offas soon as possible to alle-viate damage.

• Eggs: Oftentimes,rambunctious childrenthink it is funny to egg acar. However, the enzymesand sulfur content in eggscan cause paint and clearcoat to dissolve, leavingwhite spots in the wake ofthe egg. Because egg canbe sticky and very hard toremove once dried, it ishelpful to wash it off assoon as possible. It takesonly a few hours for thedamage to be permanent.

• Bleach: Although ableach-and-water solutionis often heralded for itsability to clean manythings, it should not beused on a car. Bleach is anoxidizer and it will pitmetal and discolor paint.Be careful with pool chem-icals as well, as chlorina-tor is usually regularhousehold bleach.

There are many thingsthat can damage a carpaint job. Although it’simpossible to shield thecar from everything, thereare precautions that canbe taken.

Things that mar an automotive paint jobFall Car Care Guide Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 — Page 7Muskogee PhoenixPage 2 — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 Fall Car Care GuideMuskogee Phoenix

Leaves present safety hazard

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Watching leaves turnbrilliant shades of colorand fall from the trees is afavorite activity each fall.

Drivers travel near andfar to witness spectacularand colorful displays offall foliage, hoping tocatch the peak hues intheir respective areas ofthe country.

While falling leaves canbe a sight to behold, thoseleaves can become a nui-sance to drivers in variousways.

Understanding certaininconveniences and safetyrisks posed by falling

leaves can help motoristsprotect their vehicle andthemselves.

Leaves can do morethan just stain driveways;they also can damage avehicle’s paint job.

Should wet leaves, sapand other chemicals thatleach out of the leavesstay on a car for anextended period of time,they can cause an outlinestain and damage to thepaint.

It’s important to manu-ally pick leaves off of thecar’s surface right afterthey fall.

Do not sweep themaway; otherwise theleaves can scratch thepaint surface. When allthe leaves have beenremoved, thoroughlywash and dry the vehicle.

Should stains be pres-

ent already, use a com-mercial leaf-stainremover or automotivepaint cleaner. Tackle onestain at a time.

Leaves that fall canbecome trapped in airintake vents, eventuallyimpeding flow and caus-ing odors. Leaves that fallin the groove of the wind-

shield by the windshieldwipers should beremoved. Use a high-pow-ered shop vacuum toremove any leaves thatare imbedded in the vent-ing.

Check other areas of thecar where leaves canbecome problematic, suchas under the vehicle or inthe rear exhaust pipe.

The Car Care Councilnotes that wet leaves onthe surface of roadwayscan be hazardous. Wetleaves can make road-ways quite slippery, evenas slippery as roadwayswhen snow is falling.Drivers should slow downwhen roads are coveredwith wet leaves and taketurns and off-ramps morecarefully.

Dry leaves also can poseproblems, as they tend toaccumulate at the edgesof roads, where they easi-ly can obscure curbs orstreet markings. Leavesmay fill potholes, givingthe false impression thata road is smooth andcausing damage to tiresand suspension systemswhen drivers drive overthem.

Autumn leaves may bebeautiful to see, but theycan complicate drivingand fall car care.Motorists should keeptheir cars clear of leavesand use caution on road-ways.

Metro Creative

Autumn and driving seem to be tailor-made for oneanother, and they can be if motorists exercise cautionwhen driving near fallen leaves.

Understand risks,inconveniences to protect your

vehicle, yourselfDo not sweep leaves

away; remove them from the car’s

surface by hand.

Metro Creative

Washing off harmful substances promptly can reduce the chances of damage to a car’s paint job.

Proper care canextend the life ofyour car’s finish

for years to come

A key thing to remember in

preserving yourcar’s finish is to never allow

any substance to remain on the

paint for too long.

Page 8 — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 Fall Car Care GuideMuskogee Phoenix

FFaallll CCaarr CCaarreeFFaallll CCaarr CCaarreeMuskogee Phoenix Advertorial

Oct. 18, 2014

muskogeephoenix.com

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Many people will rememberthe winter of 2013-14 for all thewrong reasons. Record low tem-peratures and heavy snowfallwere the story last winter. Withwinter now on the horizon onceagain, many motorists are look-ing for ways to ensure theirdaily commutes or holiday tripsto visit family and friends areas safe as possible.

When wintry conditions,including snowfall, compromisedriving conditions, it’s best formotorists to stay home. Butavoiding roadways altogether isnot always an option, somotorists who simply must ven-ture out onto the roadways thiswinter can employ the followingstrategies to ensure they safelyarrive at their destinations.

• Consider winter tires. Manydrivers are unsure if they needwinter tires. All-season tiresmay suffice for those driverswho live in regions where heavysnowfall is uncommon. But win-ter tires are designed to per-form when the temperaturesare especially cold and in driv-ing conditions featuring ice,slush and snow. Drivers wholive in regions where snowfall issignificant or even expected tobe significant may want toinstall winter tires just to be onthe safe side. Some drivers mis-takenly believe that vehicle fea-tures such as anti-lock brakingsystems and traction controlmake their tires more capableof handling wintry roads. Butsuch features do not providemore traction. ABS and tractioncontrol only prevent driversfrom over-braking or overpow-ering the traction of their tires.Only better tires will improvetraction.

• Drive slowly. Many driversmistakenly believe they onlyneed to drive slow when snow isfalling. But winter weather canmake roadways unsafe even inareas that have not witnessed asingle snowflake fall from thesky. Wet winter roads canquickly turn into icy winterroads, and no ABS system or

traction control device can pre-vent a car that’s traveling toofast from skidding out. Poor vis-ibility is another reason to driveslowly in winter. Peripheralvision is often compromisedwhen driving in winter, as dirt,salt or sand buildup on wind-shields and side windows andmirrors can make it hard formotorists to fully view theirsurroundings. Even if yourvision is not compromised, a fel-low motorist’s might be. So easeup on the gas pedal in winter soyou have more time to react topotentially adverse conditions.

• Don’t drive too closely toother motorists. In addition todriving slowly, motorists alsoshould leave extra roombetween their vehicles and thevehicles in front of them. Insuch conditions, for every 10miles per hour drive a mini-mum of four car lengths behindthe motorist in front of you. Soif you are driving 50 miles perhour, be sure to leave 20 carlengths between you and thecar ahead of you. This gives youample time to react and buildsin some extra response timeshould your visibility be com-promised.

• Maintain your vehicle. Avehicle should be maintainedregardless of the season, but it’sespecially important that yourvehicle perform at its peak inwinter. A vehicle’s battery andwindshield wipers are a winterdriver’s best friend, but only ifthey are operating at optimalcapacity. Being stranded on aroadside in winter is more dan-gerous than in any other time ofyear. That’s because driver visi-bility is more compromised inwinter, and it can be hard formotorists to see or avoid vehi-cles on the side of the road.Maintain proper fluid levelsand make sure your battery ischarged and the gas tank is fullbefore making any winter trips.

Wintry conditions often makedriving especially hazardous.But drivers who adopt certainhabits when driving in wintercan greatly reduce their risk ofaccidents.

How to stay safe on wintry roads

Metro Creative

Winter storms often make for unsafe driving conditions, and motorists must alter their habitswhen making winter trips.

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Fall Car Care 2014