Test Driving A New Car Written by Kevin Schappell Continued from page 1 ·Drive a variety of roads. Mix it up with some city driving followed by highway if you can. You should make sure to try every gear and reach highway speeds to fully test car. ·Test brakes. The steering wheel should not shake while applying brakes. Also, check to see if car pulls to one side while braking. Squeaks and rattles could also indicate worn pads. ·Notice how car tracks. When you take your hands off of wheel, which way does car go? If car consistently tracks to one side, be concerned about alignment. The last thing you should check is how you feel about car. Did you enjoy driving it? Was there enough power to get your blood pumping? Is this a car you can live with every day? Most important don't get caught up in moment, don't buy first car you see, and never ever let dealer think you are interested. Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com Auto Tools For The DIY'er Written by Kevin Schappell Continued from page 1 Disc brakes: You will need some special hex or torx sockets to get caliper loose. Do not try using wrong tool like a vise-grips or filed down bit.... you will damage bolts. You will also need to retract brake pistons once you have old pads out. Using a C-clamp does work, but you have to be careful not to damage pistons. Drum brakes: There are special tools, which allow you to remove clips, which hold shoes to backing plate. Also you will need an adjuster to adjust shoes once you have everything back together. Bleeding brakes: Get a good kit, which includes a sealed container to collect expelled brake fluid. General tools: A good Quality Tool Set: Make sure you have metric wrenches as all import cars have metric fasteners and most if not all-new domestic cars do also. If you plan on doing advanced work, or plan on eventually working as a professional mechanic consider buying a set of Craftsman tools. I have found them to be best value and you cannot beat lifetime guarantee. Plus wherever you are, there is a Sears store to take your broken tools in for replacement. Auto Repair Manual: You wouldn't bake a cake without a recipe.... would you?? Make sure you have a manual by your side before you start working on your car. I can only give you general guidelines, but manual will give you all of specifics for your car, truck or SUV. Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com     <Back to Page 1   ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005 Terms of Use