The Preowned Store

2005 Jeep Wrangler

Car Air-Conditioning: How To Maximize The Cool

Your car’s air-conditioning system has one job—to keep you cool. But during a summer scorcher, it may seem like it’s barely up to the task. And even at those times, it’s eating up gas: The EPA estimates that using A/C in very hot conditions can reduce fuel economy by as much as 25 percent for a conventional vehicle. (It also zaps battery life in electrics and hybrids.)

Here’s why: Whenever you flip the switch, the system pulls in air from either the cabin or outdoors, extracts the heat and moisture from it, and pushes it out through vents. And the heart of this system is a compressor, which draws energy from the engine. So whenever you’re using the A/C, the engine has to work harder—and you burn more fuel.

But a few easy tips can help you save gas—and money—while making you feel cooler faster. Here’s what the pros recommend.

Park Smart

A car’s A/C system can only reduce the cabin temperature by approximately 40 degrees on average, says Jill Trotta, head of industry advocacy and sales for RepairPal. (Though of course, the longer you drive, the cooler the air will become.) If you park in a shady spot, the interior will start out cooler and the A/C will have less work to do. If the cabin is warm, roll down the windows and let the hot air escape before you rev up the A/C.

Set It To Recirculate

“Recirculation is probably the best way to maximize the A/C,” says Trotta. The benefit of recirculation is that the A/C system is pulling air only from within the cabin. So if it’s roasting outside but you already have the cabin down to a pleasant 72 degrees, the A/C will have to chill only that cooler air within the car. You’ll save on gas, too: Once the interior reaches the set temperature, the A/C compressor will turn off, reducing the load on the engine.

Skip Pre-Cooling

It may be more comfortable to cool your car before you’re underway, but running the A/C when the car’s not moving is highly inefficient. “Air conditioning will perform optimally when there’s airflow, like when you’re driving down the road,” says Timothy Hatcher, director of technical operations for the Automotive Maintenance & Repair Association. So wait until you’re already cruising before you turn it on. In an electric or hybrid, pre-cooling reduces the battery life, so either avoid the practice or stay plugged into the charger when you do it.

Change Your Cabin Air Filters On Schedule

The cabin air filters remove dirt and dust from the air that comes out of the vents. When a filter gets dirty, it restricts the air trying to pass through, says Hatcher. So replace the cabin air filters according to the schedule in your owner’s manual, which is probably every year or two, or every 15,000–20,000 miles.

Don’t Ignore Leaks

“Why should I bother learning to drive stick?”

It’s a fair question. Today, less than 3 percent of new cars and trucks in the U.S. are made with a manual transmission, according to the Environmental Protection Agency—a number down from nearly 35 percent in 1980.

That number makes sense. After all, an automatic transmission does the work of shifting gears for you as you speed up or slow down. But learning how to drive stick is easier than you might think, says auto expert Lauren Fix, the “Car Coach.” True, it does take some practice to find the sweet spot between pushing down on the gas pedal and easing up on the clutch as you shift gears. But Fix notes that there are some compelling reasons to learn this skill; and once you do, you may never want to go back. Here’s why.

It’s Way More Fun

With a manual transmission, you’re the one shifting into a higher gear—exactly when you want to—instead of relying on your car to do it for you. “It unlocks an entirely new world of driving,” says Fix, who likens the releasing of the clutch and the pushing of the gas pedal to a dance. “You get the control, the enjoyment and the freedom. It’s a blast. I think it’s the best way to drive.”

It’s Handy In A Pinch

You never know when you might need to drive a stick. Say you’re out with a friend in a manual-transmission car, and an emergency requires you to drive it—what then? Also, you may find yourself on vacation overseas, where manual transmissions are far more common. “There should be no car on the road today that you can’t drive,” says Fix.

You Could Save Money

When you’re buying a new car, one with a manual transmission may cost less—as much as $1,200 less, according to one report. Fix found the same, looking at several top-selling new manual-transmission cars and seeing list prices at least $1,000 cheaper than their automatic counterparts.

You May Get Better Gas Mileage

It used to be generally accepted that manual-transmission cars got better gas mileage than automatics. The EPA says this is generally no longer the case, but some testingfound better fuel economy on some (though not all) manuals. Nevertheless, says Fix, you can still improve your gas mileage using a stick—if you know what you’re doing. “Like when a light turns red,” she says, “you can drop the car into neutral, coast to the light and use the brakes to stop.”

You’re Less Likely To Be Distracted

Since you need both hands to drive stick—at least, when not cruising along on a highway—it’s much harder to send a text at the same time (or to eat, or change your playlist). “You really have to be paying attention,” says Fix. Of course, no matter what kind of transmission you have, it’s essential to avoid distracted driving.

The Skills Are Transferable

2004 Jeep Wrangler

2015 Jeep Wrangler

How To Make The Most Out Of Your Test Drive

If you’ve ever test-driven a car, you know the basics: Do your research; pay attention to acceleration, braking, steering and handling; don’t be pressured into making a quick decision.

But cars—and the car-buying process—aren’t always that simple; and going beyond the basics could save you time, stress and money. We asked car experts to pop open their trunk of tricks to make your next test drive more efficient and effective.

For All Test Drives

Save time and potential headaches with these suggestions:

Call the dealership and ask for the car to be ready when you get there.

Take it to a crowded mall, advises auto expert Lauren Fix, “the Car Coach.” Park it and you’ll quickly see how well optional features like blind-spot monitoring systems and back-up cameras work.

Have young children? Bring them and their car seats, to see whether they’re comfortable in the back.

Save yourself a trip. If you live close to the dealership, ask them to bring the car to you.

For a Used Car

Used cars, of course, can have their own peculiarities. When you’re test-driving one, here’s what to do (in addition to the above steps):

Look for new rubber on the gas/brake pedals, “a big, bold sign that something funky has happened,” says Fix—perhaps damage from a flood.

Pull the steering wheel all the way to each side and check for uneven wear, says Steven Lang, an auto writer and used-car dealer. Unevenness could be a sign of suspension issues.

1987 STRATOS BASSBOAT

Limited warranty, 3 speed automatic transmission

How To Safely Handle A Tire Blowout

It’s one of the most unexpected—and unnerving—driving experiences: a tire blowout. And something as small as a nail in the road can be the cause.

“It happens any time the air in the tire escapes at a rapid speed,” says James Solomon, a defensive driving expert with the National Safety Council (NSC). According to the NSC, the top five causes of tire blowouts are under-inflation, overload, uneven tread wear, damage and defects.

Fortunately, tire blowouts seem to be on the downswing since the implementation of tire pressure monitoring systems, says Solomon. Still, he cautions, the unexpected event could occur, so it’s important for drivers to understand the possible causes and the proper responses, as well as the steps to take to help prevent a tire blowout.

What To Do

“A blowout is pretty obvious,” says Solomon. “You’ll hear a pop, and one side of your car will drop down.” If it’s a front tire, you’ll hear a flapping sound, and the steering wheel could jerk from your hands. A back tire may be less dramatic, but both situations should be handled the same.

“The last thing you want to do is jam on the brakes, especially in traffic,” says Solomon, even though that may be your gut reaction. The goal is to gain control of the vehicle as it continues to move and to get it away from traffic. He recommends signaling for a lane change and easing your foot off the gas pedal while steering to the side of the road as quickly and as smoothly as you can.

Turn on your hazards, and once the car is safely off the road, call for assistance. If you have the GEICO Mobile app, you can use it to request Emergency Roadside Service. If you’re fixing the flat yourself, make sure you’re a safe distance from traffic.

How To Prevent It

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that about 11,000 tire-related accidents happen every year, so tire upkeep is essential. A good first step is to check tire pressure, using a tire gauge, just as often as you check your oil or washer fluid—preferably once a month, advises Solomon. “If the PSI (pounds per square inch) is off by more than two pounds, fix it.” You can find the correct pressure for a tire in your owner’s manual or on the sticker inside the driver’s side door frame. And it never hurts to do a visual check before you get in the car, says Solomon. “If one tire looks lower than the others, it probably is.”

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

4WD 4dr Overland SUV

How To Remove Bad Car Smells 

Your car isn’t just a car—depending on the day, it can be a dining room for a quick bite (while parked, of course), a place for the kids to catch up on the latest shows, a shuttle to your dog’s vet, you name it. And all that multitasking can lead to some pretty funky smells. “Our cars are really just microcosms of our homes,” says Melissa Maker, the author of Clean My Space. And thanks to the confined area, common smells can quickly intensify, turning an unwanted scent into a stench.

But no need to call in a pro to clear the air: Some household tools you probably already own can purge pungent odors—and help to ward off future ones. Here are some simple and effective strategies to combat the prime culprits.

Spills on the Seat

Whether they’re from crumbs, dirt or liquids, messes on your seat cushions can be a real pain to get out, consequently turning the upholstery into an incubator of stink. Maker stashes a microfiber cloth in her glove compartment for just such occasions: cleans up the mess in a pinch. Plus, they’re handy for everyday tidying, like a dusty dashboard.

Once you get home, the real deep clean can begin. For leather upholstery, there’s not much more you can do on your own than wipe it down, but leather generally doesn’t hang on to odor the same way cloth does, Maker says. With fabric seats, you may be able to address the problem with a lint roller, particularly if it’s a dry substance like dirt or pet hair. For trickier messes, try the hose attachment on a vacuum cleaner. Still won’t come out? Break out a carpet shampooer. “It might seem like an onerous task, but cleaning your upholstery is going to have a huge effect on the way that it smells,” says Maker.

Car Mat Messes

The great thing about car mats is that they’re removable. So give these dirt collectors the deep clean they need. For dry messes, shake out your mats and give them a good vacuuming. With more stubborn smells, Maker recommends spritzing the mats with a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, giving them a good scrub, rinsing with water, and letting the mats air-dry to dissipate the vinegar smell. Before putting them back, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. “It lasts longer in the mat’s fibers and will help keep things fresh,” Maker says. Just make sure to avoid sleepy scents like lavender; pick something invigorating, like citrus or peppermint.

If the smell goes beyond the mat and has seeped through onto the fabric below,  a little baking soda can work wonders, according to Maker. (It works on any upholstered surface.) Sprinkle some on the offending spots, let it sit for a half hour, then vacuum up the powder—and the odor along with it.

Harsh Fumes from Your Vents

If your vents are dirty, then the air being pumped into your car’s interior is going to smell terrible too. For the short term, you can mask the smell with a few easy tricks. “Activated charcoal is a great deodorizer,” says Maker. You can buy a filter online or at a pet store and leave it in a concealed space like the side pocket of the driver door under the handle to help soak up bad smells. Or to attack the smell closer to the source, Maker likes to put essential oils on a clothespin and clip it to the vent.

These tricks are temporary fixes, though. For nasty smells that just won’t quit, says Maker, you’ll need to consult an auto professional. They can clean the vents and change your cabin air filter, so you’ll be breathing in nothing but fresh air.

Stopping Smells Before They Start

1981 Jeep Scrambler