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CRUISING
SPEED-Services needed by your car will also depend to
some extent on the speeds at which you drive. The
m:otorist
who
habitually
drives over 60 or 70 MPH on the open road will
need
different service
than one who cruises at 45 or 50 MPH.
USE
OF LOW GEARS-At
one time or another, you've ridden with
drivers
who
took a couple of blocks
to
get their cars into
high
after
starting.
Low
and second gears
use
far more gas than
high
gear. The
owner who drives in first only
long
enough
to
get started
and
shifts
into high
at 20 to 25
MPH,
saves on
both
gasoline and service expense.
HANDLING THE CAR-It's
easy to see
how
varying
skill in han-
dling a car brings about
different
service needs. The car owner who
bumps into
curbs
or scrapes
fenders
when parking,
naturally requires
more service than
the motorist
who drives
carefully.
WARM-UP-Racing the motor
or driving at high speeds
before the
car
is
warmed
up
causes
unnecessary
wear, since the cold oil
needs time
to.
circulate fully and
effic~ently
between
moving
parts. It's a good
idea
to
let
the engine
run
a
moment
after starting and to drive at
moderate
speeds for at
least ten
minutes. This is particularly true
in
cold weather.
DRIVING CONDITIONS
ROADS-
The type of
roads
over which you drive can
make
a sur-
prising difference
in the service needs
of your car. A car
driven
on
rough
or stone-surfaced
highways,
for instance, will
need tire
replace-
ment
and steering and wheel adjustment
more
often
than under
ordinary conditions.
CLIMATE-Owners living in hot
climates
may need to replace
tires
somewhat
sooner
than
those
who
live
in the north, since
heat is
one
of the determining factors
in
tire
life.
Conversely,
those living in
cooler areas
may find they need
more
ignition,
carburetor, and battery
service
to
maintain good gas
mileage
a
nd
quick, easy
starting.
"LAY -OF -THE-LAND" -Lay-of-the-Iand (scientists
call
it
"topog-
raphy") also causes variations in service
needs. Altitude
and
the
number
of
hills
or mountains your car
has
to
climb make a difference
in the
up-keep
required
to keep
it
in
good running order.
CITY vs. COUNTRY -It
would
be hard
to say whether
country
or
city
driving
is
"healthie~"
for
.your
car.
Open
highways may lead
to
engine wear from driving
long distances
at sustained
high
speeds,
while ·the
restrictions
and
heavier
traffic
of
city areas
cause more
stop-and-go driving, with
accompanying
wear on such items as brakes
and tires.
159
J
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