I think that what makes cleaning windows such a chore is that there are two surfaces that must be perfected at the same time, mainly the inside and the outside.  Any remaining finger prints or smudges will ruin the look of the glass.  Couple this with the fact that inside and outside glass surfaces are attacked by different things just adds to the complexity of achieving the ultimate goal of clean, clear glass.

“So Uncle Vinny, when is the best time to attack this mighty task of glass detailing?”  Tending to the glass is always best following cleaning the inside and outside of the car.  Washing the vehicle will get some of the outside dirt off the outer window surfaces.  These outer areas see things that won’t affect the inside window areas.  Things like road debris, tree sap, bug guts, bird poop, acid rain/pollutants, water spots and even windshield wiper fluid residues. All of these contaminants can become affixed to the front windshield and rear glass.

Similarly, inside glass areas see different chemical pollutants.  This inside glass “dirt-film” is often a mish-mosh of vinyl off-gassing, vapors from protectants and leather conditioners, moisture from breath and rain residues as well as tobacco smoke.  These films can be worse to deal with than any of the “garbage” stuck to the outside areas. Couple these film pollutants to areas inside of the car that a contortionist couldn’t reach to clean and you see why I hate cleaning windows.

You know, doing things that have to get done even though you don’t like it is just a fact of life.  So let’s just suck it up and get down and not so dirty and see how to get these windows clean.  My recommended products for the job at hand are two different window cleaners ( I’ll tell you why you ideally need both), preferably microfiber glass cleaning towels and a window cleaning instrument called a glass reach cleaning tool.  BTW all of these products can be found at our friends at Autogeek.net or ProperAutoCare.com as well as many other good car detailing store websites.

Window cleaning chemicals used in automotive applications are different from the garden variety used for home window cleaning.  Cleaners made for auto glass are ammonia free.  While ammonia is an effective grease cutter, it can damage a car’s window tinting film (aftermarket applied films).  With the EPA interested in eliminating Volatile Organic Compounds ( VOCs) from all chemical based products, this has forced auto glass cleaners to change their formulas.  This chemical formula change has taken the “teeth” out of these cleaners.  So in today’s world, glass cleaners are a compromise of solvents.  Some solvents may be good for cleaning bug guts and vinyl plasticizers while others may be more effective on leather oil films or road grimes.

The three best window products in my hands are Eimann Fabrik’s Clear Vision II, Stoner’s Invisible Glass and GM’s Auto Glass cleaner.  This last cleaner is available at any GM (General Motors) Dealer.  Be prepared to shell out about $8 for the can.  Eimann Fabrik’s cleaner is fortified with nano-cleaner molecules that act like little atom sized scrub brushes.  This stuff works great!  We’ll talk about Stoner’s product in just a bit but first a little about glass microfiber towels.

“But wait a minute, no paper towels or newspaper, my grandma will turn in her grave!”  Now, now …just give me a moment.  Microfiber towels, especially ones woven exclusively for glass care will save you time, aggravation and are environmentally friendly (no garbage created).  They also don’t leave ink residue like newspaper which could stain light colored dash or seat surfaces.  Most paper towels (and cheap microfibers for that matter) will almost always leave lint behind.  Oh, that’s just what I want….lots of lint on my hard to attain clean windows!!!

Remember when I told you not to wash the vehicle in direct sunlight due to the quick drying effects of the sun’s heat?  Well don’t clean windows in the sun either!  The chemical bases for these window cleaners contain chemicals like alcohols which are designed to clean and evaporate quickly.  You will create a heartache disaster if you attempt to under take this task in the baking sun.  So start your glass cleaning in a cool, shaded area that still has good lighting.  I will mist the inside glass with the Eimann Fabrik Cleaner (or the GM Glass Cleaner) and wipe off with a glass cleaning micro-cloth.  Remember that glass cleaning tool I mentioned?  Well two products that are readily available are the Stoner Invisible Glass Reach & Clean tool and the Glass Master Pro Glass & Surface cleaner.  These are basically micro-fiber cleaning pads that are attached to wand handles (see photo).  These tools allow you to reach into areas that are almost impossible due to long dash board areas or steep angle of low inclined windshields.

I will now mist the glass with the second cleaner, mainly Stoner’s Invisible glass product, and work the area with the window cleaning tool. Using these two different glass cleaners attacks the film deposits using different chemistries; each product has its strengths and its weaknesses. Some folks may be just happy with one cleaner and a once-over with the glass microfiber. Remember I’m Uncle Vinny and I’m picky. You will not likely need the reaching tool on side windows.  Some new vehicle designs do however have race-sloped back windows and these car owners will find using these glass cleaning reach tools a joy (and a back saver).  Even reaching the cabin end of my Corvette’s hatchback glass is nearly impossible without this tool.

Compared to inside glass, I find cleaning outside surfaces a bit easier.  Many times just drying the vehicle off following a car wash will leave the windows in good shape.  I’ll often give them a light spritz of any handy glass cleaner and a quick wipe with a clean microfiber and we’re good!  If there is a place to spend time, I guarantee you that it will be time spent on the windshield.  Depending where, when and how much you drive your vehicle, the windshield might be in quite a mess.  If the glass here is spotted with water marks (white calcium ghost spots) or embedded debris, a good glass restorer is perhaps what is needed.

Glass restorers are basically glass scrubbing cleaners.  They are often strong solvents with abrasives suitable for glass.  I often wear rubber gloves to prevent contact between my skin and the restoring chemicals.  Griot’s Garage, DP and Glass Science Glass Scrub are good products to help remove stubborn contaminants.  They are easy to use. Just follow the directions on the label (as always!!!).  Some can be applied with electric buffers but a number of these restorers are designed to be done by hand buffing. Please….remember those safety glasses!

Once the glass has been restored, go back and mist the windshield with cleaner and wipe. The glass should look the best it’s looked in weeks or months or ever!  If you have gone through restoring the windshield, my recommendation would be to seal the surface with a glass sealer treatment like Rain-X, Glass Science Rain Repellant, Aquapel or similar product.  We’ll talk more about these in our next blog!

Before we say we’re done, drop the side windows of the car down and clean the top 2-3” that might have been hiding away inside the door rail trim,  Put the windows back up and start the walk around the car.  A final inspection if you will.  Look not only at the glass but through it as well.  Look for any blemishes or finger prints.  Some may be on the outside, some may be inside. Locate them and eliminate them.  Onelast thing…check your side view mirror surfaces.  Give them a treat and clean them too.  Now step back and take a deep breath.  Look at those windows!  You can see clearly now and clearer vision brings with it a greater level of safety.  Uncle Vinny doesn’t want anything to happen to you (or your loved ones)!

So in my next blog, we’ll talk about window/glass treatments that can improve your vision of the road in wet weather and help the glass to stay cleaner for longer periods of time.  Thanks again for all of your comments. I truly appreciate each and every one.  I look forward to any of your questions or suggestions on future automotive topics.

Thanks again for stoppin’ by!!!!

Stay Safe out there!!!!

Uncle Vinny

On that note, may I first clarify that I am under no financial duty to recommend or support any product, company or manufacturer. If I like it and it works for me, then you’ll hear about it. I have tried a lot, and I do mean A LOT, of car care products. Some sound good and just don’t keep up their end of the bargain. Those products that I routinely re-purchase and find myself looking to use over and over again are the products that I will recommend to you. Hey, you’re my “loyal followers”. Uncle Vinny ain’t gonna let you down!

So as you recall, you need a good wheel cleaner, ideally a good wheel brush, a wash mitt and a tire protectant. Let’s first talk about my all time favorite wheel cleaner, P21S. This is a German made product that I believe has been around since the mid 1980’s. It comes in the regular spray version and a gel version (for really soiled wheels, heavy brake dust). This product is to be sprayed on to a cool dry wheel and let it sit for a few minutes, agitate and hose off. Remember that the thing that really “dirties up a wheel is the grime and brake dust residue from the brake pads. To agitate the dirt that is saturated with the P21S wheel cleaner,  I use 2 different types of brushes.

The first brush is a soft nylon brush called a Daytona Brush. It is awesome at reaching behind wheel spokes and around brake components (be easy here). It is bendable to help reach tough spots. I often gently spray water onto the brush and into the wheel area as I move around the brush. The second brush is a Montana Boars Hair Wheel Brush. Boars hair brushes are extremely gentle on all finishes including paint. There are polished wheels that can be easily scratched. My Jeep SRT-8 wheels are polished aluminujm (clear coated) that despite all of my tricks can easily show light scratches. Boars hair brushes are actually horse hair, as an FYI (you might win some money at Jeopardy one day). I will often lightly spray water on the wheel as I work the brush around. Don’t be bashful to re-spray the wheel cleaner onto the wheel. It may need a second dose.

Another really good and recently “devised” product is one that comes from the good folks at TKO Performance. It is called the Corvette Wheel Lug Nut Brush (aka E-Z Lug Nut Cleaner). It is a “T” shaded plastic device that has on one end a foam sponge. You basically insert the sponge end atop the lug nut and twist the T handle back and forth to clean. A quick spray of P21S into each lug and a twist and its so much cleaner, without any wear to the wheel. The sponges are replaceable but I must have a dozen or so cleanings and the sponge end still looks good. Heres an Uncle Vinny trick using this device. When drying off the wheels, use an old, ready for the garbage micro-fiber cloth and cover the sponge end of the device. Now re-insert it on top of the lug nut. As you rotate the devise it will do a final cleaning and drying. Works great. Re-adjust the micro-fiber cloth and do the next lug.

This next product is also a new one for me and it works great. It’s called Wheel Wax. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to figure what this product does. Nice clean wheel gets nice coat of wax. Why bother? Waxed surfaces not only shine better but the micro porosities in the wheels’ finish are sealed up. Wheel Wax is a polymer sealant and not a true wax (yes, more on that discussion, boys and girls, in a future blog). The idea is that a sealed wheel will attract less grime and dust and hence be easier to clean. It works great…and it has a nice banana type smell.

So what’s left to do before you buff off the Wheel Wax to reveal the awesome shine and protection? That’s right, you remember…treat the tires.”Uh, Uncle Vinny did you make a mistake?” Of course not. You want to treat the tires BEFORE you polish up the wheel. You most likely will inadvertently get some of the tire dressing on the wheel. When you buff the wheel, any residue from the tire dressing comes off too. You will buff the wheels with a dedicated to wheel use micro-fiber cloth. Remember that trick with the EZ Lug devise using the draped cloth over the top? Works great on getting out any residual sealant, too.

There are two camps of thought on tire dressings, spray on or wipe on. Spray on tire products are fast but can get on vehicle surfaces and I guarantee you will stain the pavement you’re working on. I have been using all types of tire dressings over the years. For flat out speed and bang for the buck good looks, I say Stoner’s More Shine tire spray just rocks!!! It runs about $5-6 a can (less if you buy a case directly and use the easy to find $5 off coupon). Get some buddies together and split the case of 12. Their Trim Shine product is designed for exterior black trim but I love it for under carriage and wheel well black plastic. I have black plastic mesh on the Jeep’s grill and this stuff in no time makes it look great. I have been using the aerosol versions of these products but I am sure the trigger pumps ar equally good and may have their advantages.

Any good vinyl and rubber dressing will also do a good job on the tire’s sidewalls (never ever apply to the treads very dangerous, slippery stuff). You will need to spray these dressings on to a poly foam applicator or in a pinch a few old cotton tube socks. Saturate the applicator and in a circular motion wipe on the tire’s sidewalls. My personal favorites are 303 Protectant (which has a lot of uses and a product I go through by the gallon) and Vinylex. The 303 does not have a cleaner while Vinylex does. Both are great to have around and I do own both. I like to vary products. It keeps me busy. The most recent product that I am trying is Optimum OptiBond Tire gel. It is slightly viscous but the tires look great, and they look great for a long time (several weeks). Also keep in mind that Uncle Vinny doesn’t like the bling bling super shiny look to his tires. These dressings will make the tires look new and clean, not plasticy. Now step back and take a look…really nice wheels!

So now you’re well versed in wheel and tire detailing. Welcome to a bigger world. Oh, by the way, if you revisit my last blog, the products listed above can be found at the mentioned online car care sites.

I’ll be on vacation in the coming weeks.  Look for my next blog towards the end of the month.

Thanks for stoppin’ by!!!

Stay safe out there!!!

Uncle Vinny

Flanking the back areas of this gas station, is a mini-market, a quick change oil facility, an automated car wash with human help drying off the remaining water from the car wash process.At some point during the fill-up my wife turns to me and says, “What’s wrong?” For the moment I am totally focused on the crew wiping the nice black Mercedes with their blue towels.While still intranced, I responded to her with a grunt that could only be interperted as a totally disgusted reaction toward what I was seeing. I  focused back on my wife and told her that, ” They just brought up all the dirt from the bottom of the car, brought it up to the top and they buffed it into the finish!”  In my mind’s eye I could actually see the swirl marks and scratches now scarring the once pristine paint surface. Gratefully we were done filling as Ahmed popped his head into the car window, BP card a receipt in hand.I was relieved we were leaving.  I try not to look over at the car wash area whenever I frequent this station, It’s just too painful.

As you might have guessed  I, and a lot of other car enthusiasts for that matter, are not big fans of automated car washes. As I discuss with you the subtle details of proper car washing ,and drying for that matter, you will see the reasons for why we feel car wash places can be hazardous to your car’s paint. The art and science of washing, drying, waxing and in general keeping a car looking clean and showroom new in called “detailing.” It is all about paying attention to the little details that makes the difference in a vehicle’s appearance. We’re not just talking about its appearance today but how the vehicle will look in the years to come.

So how do we get started? Perhaps the best place to start is to discuss briefly “why” a car needs to be washed. The answer is only partially to make it look clean and shiny. Along with dirt and dust that clings to the car’s surfaces, there are things like industrial fallout and pollution particles. We’ve all heard of acid rain and it’s a common occurence. These droplets of water and other atmospheric particles are deposited on to the surface of the  car (paint, glass, rubber trim, etc.) during a rain storm. Add to that some of nature’s wonderful concoctions like bug guts and bird poop and a car’s finish can be damaged pretty quickly. Let me expand a little on bug splatter and bird droppings for a moment. These pollutants must, must, must be removed as soon as possible. This natural, chemical-full matter is highly acidic and will “etch” or burn itself into the paint. It will leave a blemish on the paint that resembles a whitish outline of the blob (ghost image) that was there and these do not readily come out. They often need to be polished out. Sometimes the “checking”  left behind is too deep and maybe a permanent mark on the paint. Make plans once a week to spend about an hour (or so) to wash the vehicle to get this acumulation of stuff off the paint. You will need a hose for water, a nozzle, two buckets, car wash soap, wash mitts, wheel cleaner, tire dressing, and some type of drying apparatus.

The first step to properly washing the car is for you to dress appropriately for the job at hand. Ideally you should wear a soft cotton top and sweat pants/shorts. Nothing with buttons, snaps, zippers, or studs. In addition, you should not be wearing any type of  jewelry. No watches, rings, bracelets, or body jewelry. I have found that when trying to wash difficult to reach places on my vehicles, I often have to stretch and lean and lay on some of the surfaces. If there is a primary mission right up there next to importance of a clean car, its one that has no detailer induced scratches. We want a soft tee shirt touching the surface when we lean or brush against the surface; soft sweat pants and not denim jeans with a belt buckle touching the fenders. Can you image the disaster a nice engagement diamond ring would do if, by accident, it scratched the hood. The marriage would be over before it got started!

The most common mistake I see that people make, beyond their clothing choices, is that they wash the car in the midday sun. I can not tell you how many times that I see this happen as I drive through neighborhoods  and all I can do is to shake my head. So pick a shady spot or wash early in the morning or early evening. Never when the sun is highest and hottest in the sky.  You won’t have to deal with the effects of quick drying water or soap suds. Maybe I am getting a little ahead of  myself but there is some thoughful prep work that must occur before the hose water even gets turned on.

The first thing I do before starting the actual wash is to wet down the pavement below and around the vehicle. This will minimize soap and other chemical stains to the blacktop (or whatever surface you are on). I begin with cleaning the wheels. You will need a good quality wheel cleaner and ideally a soft wheel brush or an old wash mitt. Follow the directions on the wheel cleaner’s bottle to the “T”. Some will require a “wet the wheel with water” approach prior to cleaner application. Please make sure that the car has not been driven for a while so that the wheels are cool to the touch. Cleaning chemicals and hot surfaces create problems that we do not need. Again follow the label on the product bottle.

Apply the wheel cleaner to the wheels and allow it to sit as long as directed on the label, typically 1-5 minutes. Wheel surfaces will often require agitation of the accumulated dirt and brake dust  in order for them to get clean. Usually a light water spray and a use of the specialized wheel brush or old wash mitt will help get them clean. In some instances, a second spray of wheel cleaner is necessary. Make sure that you  rinse the wheels really well. Once you are happy that the wheels are clean, you can move on to the next step…actually washing the car. Oh, and by the way, don’t feel bashful about spraying the rubber tire area with the wheel cleaner. Wheel cleaners are strong degreasers. This will help clean the grunge off the tire itself. However, if you do plan on cleaning the tires, I would hope that you have a tire dressing available to reapply moisture and shine to the rubber surface. What nicely washed car has dirty, undressed tires?  Not mine.

This is a good time to do a first water spraying of the entire vehicle. I want this done as soon as I have rinsed the wheels off to ensure that any wheel cleaner accidentally sprayed on  to the finish is NOT on the body paint for any length of time. Wet the entire vehicle from top to bottom and the undercarriage, too (wheel wells). My last pre-rinse will always be top to bottom so any dirt or grit is moved to the ground. Make sure that you don’t splash water off the driveway onto the paint. You can bet dirt specks will be raised up onto the finish an that’s a “no-no”!

While the vehicle is dripping wet, grab those two 5 gallon buckets. One will be the wash bucket and the other will be the rinse bucket. I mark mine with a permanent Sharpie marker with a big “W” and “R”. You are going to add your car wash soap to the wash bucket and follow the recommended capfuls per gallon on the label directions. The rinse bucket will be for water only. Never, ever, ever use dish washing detergent to wash a vehicle’s paint surface (okay there will be only one time you will use dish wash soap…which I will discuss in a future blog). Car wash soaps are pH balanced and formulated with oils and conditioners to pamper the paint.  These added oils are designed to also  micro-encapsulate any rogue dirt particles and minimize any accidental scratching that might occur. So foam up the wash bucket and dip in your wash mitt. Saturate it with lots of soapy suds.

Now before you bring a soapy mitt to the car’s surface, re-wet the surface with the hose. I want you to start washing from the highest point on the vehicle which is the roof area. Wash the roof and all surfaces with front to back, straight line motions. Avoid circular motions if at all possible. This is how swirl marks are created during car washing. A small dirt or sand particle attaches to the wash mitt and cuts a circle as you wash. The advantage of front to back washing motions is that if a dirt particle is caught, it leaves only a thin straight scratch that will not attract the sunlight like a circular swirl will.

Before you go back to the wash pail for more soapy water, quickly rinse out the mitt in the all water rinse bucket. This will allow any dirt that came off the paint to drop off. Once rinsed it’s time to go back to the soap bucket for more car soap suds. This is how the “two bucket car wash system” works. The sequence is always wash, rinse, more suds and wash another area. You will continue your wash from the top to bottom until all the surfaces are clean. Take your time. If the car’s surface begins to dry quickly, re-wet the car with the hose water. If the rinse bucket water looks dirty, spill it out and refill with clean water. Once the vehicle has been washed, take a moment to rinse and inspect the painted surfaces and glass to make sure that they are all clean and free of dirt. If you are happy that all looks good and clean, do the inside of all the door jam areas (don’t forget the inside trunk or hatchback jams as well). When this is clean, retire this mitt for today. Do not use it again until it’s been laundered. Now find that old wash mitt that you cleaned the wheels with and give it a good rinse in the rinse bucket. Now get it full of soapy water and take it to the inner wheel well painted areas, under the front and rear bumper areas and even the exhaust pipe tips. Again make sure to continue the rinse and wash sequence in the two bucket system. Do not allow this old wash mitt that is touching these dirty areas to get anywhere  near the paint finish.  Re-rinse the entire car with the hose. Discard the soapy water and rinse water. Give these buckets a really good rinse to ensure all dirt is gone.

One of my favorite products that I use is a foam gun. It was designed by  Gilmore and a search will reveal a few places on the internet where it can be purchased (www.autogeek.net is one such site). The foam gun is a device that you partially fill with car soap and add water to as well. It hooks up to the hose via its hand nozzle. When you squeeze the hose trigger out comes a foamy water mix, far superior to the sudsy water  found in the wash bucket. So my personal method is to incorporate all three. A sudsy mitt, foam gun to add even more suds during the wash and the rinse bucket to clean the mitt as described above. This foam gun is an awesome device and I wouldn’t think about washing any of my vehicles without it.

Here are some of my recommendations on products which are readily found at car parts stores and certainly at online websites. For car soap, stay with a brand that promises to be gentle on the finish, has conditioners (oils) to lubricate the paint and won’t strip previous car wax. Products from Meguairs, Turtle Wax, and Mothers are a few good examples. You will find more choices online. I mentioned Autogeek.net so to be fair here’s another excellent site, www.ProperAutoCare.com. These are two wonderful internet companies to work with and are passionate about cars and trucks. Wheel cleaners from P21S, Meguair’s and 3M, and the like, will do a good job. Just make sure it is a general all wheel cleaner. All wheel type cleaners tend to be gentler than say one made exclusively for chrome or billet aluminum wheels. If there is a choice between a neutral (ph7) and an acidic wheel cleaner (or high alkali cleaner for that matters) choose the more neutral cleaner. It is easier on the wheels…and on your skin.

It’s now time to dry your vehicle. I am a big fan of microfiber waffle weave drying towels. They are soft and absorb lots of water. They are becoming easier to find in the local car parts stores. Armor-All, Microtex, and Carrand’s Auto Spa line are just three examples of good, soft drying towels. Please make sure if these towels have sewn on tags that you surgically cut them off the towel before use. These tags can scratch the finish, and we’ve worked so hard for that to not happen. Follow the cleaning directions on the tag before discarding. Microfiber products are wonderful and well, that’s right, you guessed it..will have a future blog all to themselves. For now, wash them with delicated soap by themselves and air dry if possible (no heat). Whew! Drying the car is similar to the wash sequence. Start on top, then the windows and then the lower body. Do not use this towel waffle weave microfiber on the sheels. Use an old terry towel to dry the wheels, one that can be discarded if it gets really dirty. Residual brake dust can soil this waffle towel and make it unusable on the finish. Keep it pristine if possible. Most dirt will wash out. My most expensive microfiber towel is a 24×40 in.drying towel and it cost me over $30. So this stuff ain’t cheap.

The last thing to do before saying that you’re done, is to treat the tires. You most likely, on purpose or not, degreased them when you cleaned the wheels. A quick coat of tire spray or rubber-vinyl conditioner will do wonders. Try your best to be neat and not to get these coatings all over the clean paint or clean wheels. These are potential dust magnets so best to keep it limited to just the rubber tire surfaces. Yes there is the glass, and plastic and other rubber trim pieces that can and should be attended to, but hey I can’t tell you everything in one blog, now can I?

So next time you are watching a car rolling out of a car wash booth, pay attention to how many mistakes are being made, and wonder as to how clean the towels are that are drying the finish. Did you see the attendant wipe the lower rocker panel and then wipe the roof or trunk? Or worse yet, drop the towel on the ground and pick it up to re-use it! Watch and you’ll cringe too. They say the “devil is in the details”. I say that’s where the beauty is!

Again thank you for all of your well wishes and comments. I do appreciate each and every one. If you have a topic that you would like for me to discuss, please write in a comment. I’ll keep the next blog a surprise. Maybe we’ll talk about some of my favorite car care products, maybe a discussion on waxes and sealants. We’ll see.

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

Stay safe out there!

Uncle Vinny

Let’s face it, some people just don’t care about gas mileage and some just can’t be bothered with it. Hey, in New Jersey, a very popular vehicle is the Chevy Suburban. These are among the largest SUV (Sport Utility Vehicles) available usually outfitted with large displacement V-8 motors. Those that “swear we need this huge truck” often have large families. If you wish to get your 4 children and 2 dogs around, you need this vehicle. Thinking about having the gang all together takes precedence over whether the vehicle gets good gas mileage or not.

It seems good gas mileage is a “state of mind” type of deal. My Jeep SRT-8 gets about 12 mpg around town. If I get on occasion say 12.5 mpg, then I am all proud of myself! Some folks use 15 mpg as their acceptable level yet others expect nearly 25 mpg and higher. Just a a little side story first…it has relevance, trust me! Not long ago, I was able to get 31 mpg out of my 2006 Corvette Z06. “But Uncle Vinny, that’s a beast of a V-8 motor and an absolute rocket, what gives?” This  feat was accomplished on the highway, windows closed, A/C off, alone in the car, traveling at a cruise control set 55 mph and transmission in 6th gear(top gear). This sentence contains almost all of the secrets to getting the best gas mileage out of your vehicle. So let’s really get started!

Remember when I said that a well maintained vehicle is a safe one? Well it turns out it’s also a gas efficient one, too. A properly kept vehicle is usually operating at its peak performance levels. Fresh motor oil has the best friction reduction properties. Make sure that you are using the proper grade of oil called for by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Using a thicker grade of 10W40 over a recommended 5W30 will cost you mpg. There is less internal stresses, less power loss in an engine circulating a lower viscosity oil. Even though some may argue that a 10W40 may provide better protection, it will cost fuel savings and after all that is our discussion. Some have suggested a waste of 1-2% fuel efficiency when using a 40 weight oil instead of a 30 weight oil. Also keep in mind that if your car is under warranty, and you decide to use a non recommended viscosity, the manufacturer can void the warranty. If the vehicle is not running a synthetic oil, a switch to one may prove worthy in a 2%  improvement in fuel mileage. Oils touted as being most fuel efficient are often 0W30 and 0W20 oils. By the way, you will not get a great improvement in mpg by making any one change, it’s an additive effect. Each modification to the vehicle or driving habit adds a little toward maxing out each gallon of fuel.

A clean air filter is another good maintenance item. An air filter’s job is to trap dirt and debris and prevents them from being ingested by the vehicle’s motor. Most modern cars are equipped with computers that adjust air/fuel mixtures in response to dirty, more restrictive air filters. Trapped dirt leads to more restriction and less air entering the intake and motor. More restriction and less air means less power. A clean filter may improve acceleration by as much as 5 to 10 percent. On older carburated vehicles, a clogged filter will definitely affect gas mileage. This is a set up found usually on pre-1980 vehicles. So for most of you, think of this as a good maintenance item that provides more power and more power is ALWAYS better! If you take the filter out and cannot see diffuse light through it, then replace it. While you are there, tap the filter to free dust/dirt and leaves off. Reach into the airbox and make sure it too is free of dirt and debris. Please remember, an Uncle Vinny personal safety note, always wear protective glasses/goggles when ever you work on a vehicle.

When was the last time you fed your vehicle a good quality fuel system cleaner?  These cleaners added to the fuel tank will often treat 15 to 20 gallons of fuel.  Dirty intake valves and the number of miles poorly spraying fuel injectors waste fuel.  The best time to add these is just before filling the tank with fuel.  Do it right at the station.  Usually a helpful attendant will gladly add it prior to filling up the tank.  Most experts agree that the fuel cleaner is best added just BEFORE your planned oil change.  Loosened debris and some of the residual chemicals from the cleaner do enter the oil and “dilute” it.  Another quick tip,  run the treated take to 1/4 full before refilling.  This will maximize the time treating the engine.  Follow the label directions on the bottle especially in regards to repeat use( some say okay for each fill up, others every 3 to 6000 miles!!!!).  We’ll have a future blog on fuel system maintenance.  In the mean time a few good brands, and ones that I have personally used, are RedLine SI-1, GumOut Regane,  Amsoil P.I. and Chevron Techron.

Another item recently discussed was tire pressure. Under inflated tires waste gas, are unsafe and hurts performance. Usually a 3 psi ( pound per square inch) of under inflation for a vehicle’s tires costs 1% loss in mpg. I recently checked a friend’s tire pressures and the tires were down nearly 9 psi. That’s a 3% loss in fuel economy. If you are in the market for new tires, and gas mileage is important to you, then look for some of the newly touted higher fuel mileage tire designs. These tires have tread patterns conducive to decreasing rolling resistance and tire compounds that help to roll better as well. Wide, chunky tread tires with sticky tire compounds are not the best for gas mileage. They may be good for other things, which we will likely talk about in a future blog.

Remember my rant from a previous blog about folks just driving way too fast. Well slow down and save gas. The “double nickel” or 55 mph speed limit implemented in 1974 was designed primarily for fuel mileage (secondarily we saw a 15.3%  decrease highway deaths!). Gas mileage on some vehicles can be improved by 25% if you travel 55 mph verses 75 mph. Another way to see this difference is a fuel rating of 20 mpg at 55 mph compared to a fuel mileage of 15 mpg at 75 mph. Comparing the two in dollars and cents, you will have 50 extra miles to drive before using 10 gallons of gas at 55 mph. That’s a savings of 3.3 gallons (15 mpg) or about $9.50( $2.85  gallon of premium gas).   But wait there’s more!  I have seen my share of aggressive drivers who gun the car off the line, slam on the brakes and punch the” go pedal” to the floor once again. They make a gazillion lane changes while performing their best NASCAR moves and all for what? To get a few cars ahead of you? This is not only a safety issue but also wastes fuel. This behavior puts a lot of extra wear and tear on all the involved vehicle systems. Extra throttle, extra brake use, extra strain on the suspension components and additional tire wear all occur during this event…let alone increasing the chances for driver error.

Jack rabbit starts, heavy unnecessary accelerator use wastes gas (yes I know it’s fun getting pushed back into the seat, the rush of power). A nice steady increase up to cruising speed is best for gas mileage. Most automatic transmissions will go into overdrive mode and this higher gear often allows for lower rpms and for higher gas mileage. If you have a manual transmission, you can select the highest gear as soon as you are at cruising speed. If the vehicle is equipped with a cruise control type device use it on the highway. This device will help with gas mileage as it will attempt to keep the vehicle at a constant speed.

When traveling at highway speeds, it’s best to do so with the windows up and the A/C ( air conditioner)off.  Now don’t do this on a hot day folks. If you need the A/C, set it at its lowest setting that is comfortable for you. With a lower setting (72 degrees) the compressor will run at a minimum. The compressor is a belt driven item and sucks power from the engine. When more power is needed, the engine works harder and hence uses more fuel. At around town speeds, use the windows. Keeping the windows up at higher speeds increases fuel efficiency by decreasing the car’s wind resistance. The more aerodynamic a vehicle is, the less power it needs to push itself through the air. A vehicle needs less power to drive the A/C at higher speeds than the power needed to overcome the drag of open windows (think of the air trapped in the car traveling at a higher speed, to the way a parachute slows a person falling to Earth).  Speaking of aerodynamic drag,  if you are not using that roof top carrier, take it off.  It has been shown that the “hamburger box” style can ruin your gas mileage by as much as 5%.

When traveling, attempt to make as few stops as possible and combine trip destinations. Visit a shopping center and park in a location that will allow you to walk (yes that’s something we can all do for better gas mileage and health) to the cleaners to drop off laundry, then to the next door bank and finally to the supermarket before returning to the car. Fill up on gas before you go home so that a special trip to refuel isn’t necessary. If you are waiting in line or just waiting for someone to come out and meet you, shut off the car.  Idling wastes gas!  Remember you are not traveling any where, an idling vehicle gets ZERO miles per gallon.  I use the 5 minute rule.  If you are going to be sitting and idling for 5 or more minutes, shut ‘er down!

And speaking of extra cargo, clean out your trunk of extra junk…uh, that’s the car’s trunk! I have been shocked by what family members tend to keep in their hatch and trunk areas. Are they awaiting a surprise visit from Monty Hall and hoping to win a prize if they have a (fill in the blank)? I recently found in my sister’s hatch area a snowbrush (uh, it’s July), a heavy drill, books, gloves, empty boxes, etc., etc. all adding to the weight of the vehicle. In fact, she made me laugh when she asked me onetime if I “did anything to the car because it seemed to be quicker off the line”. No, I just took out about 50 pounds of stuff. For each 100 pounds of excess weight, it can cost you 2% in fuel economy.  Remember, every little effort to save fuel adds up, a little here and a little there.  Think of it the same way that loose pocket change adds up in that piggy bank.

So do you remember when I said in the beginning of this blog that the short story about my Corvette Z06 had almost all the answers to getting good gas mileage? No, it isn’t about the fire-breathing 427 under the hood. It’s about a light weight, aero-dynamically shaped, well maintained vehicle using synthetic 5w30 motor oil with an engine churning in 6th gear at a cruise control set to 55 mph, windows closed and the A/C off!  Hey my buddy’s Honda sedan can’t get 31 mpg numbers on the highway. He also can’t get the dash computer to read single digit mpg readings when he mashes his right foot into the accelerator pedal…snicker, snicker.

I will begin a series of blogs on exterior car maintenance beginning with car washing techniques and eventually moving into other car detailing areas.  I appreciate all of your comments and compliments!  Hey, tell a friend about this blog!

Thanks for stoppin by!

Stay safe out there!

Uncle Vinny

Not too long ago, my son and I took a trip to a Corvette Car Show down in Atlantic City.  People really do drive too quickly especially on the Garden State Parkway.  Now here I am, driving my 505 hp Z06 corvette at a mere 75 to 80 miles an hour and I am being passed by a 1980 something Geo Metro doing upwards of 90!  Now let me rant for a minute.  I am driving a “supercar” that can actually do close to 190MPH and stop on a dime and may I remind you that every operating system has been monitored to be in top maintenance and the Metro driver is so confident that his dilapidated machine isn’t going to lose control!  I was just waiting to see when his already half hanging off rear bumper was going to rip off and sail away!  I did say I was going to rant!!!   Hey if this driver wants to plant his vehicle into a nice tree, be my guest…just don’t take any of us with ya!  Okay enough of that…but do you get my point?

We are all so trusting in the capabilities of all of our rides that we unknowingly “bet “our lives on our vehicles every time we turn the ignition key.  How often do we all just get in and go…and go quickly up to highways speeds (and then some). My best advice is to always keep the maintenance of your vehicle up to date.  I know, “Uncle Vinny that’s tough and expensive to do”.  Yes and so is mechanical work, body work, lawsuits, hospital bills, and caskets! So my first recommendation is to visit a trained mechanic and have the vehicle looked over.  I would advise you to do some homework prior to your appointment and investigate what the auto manufacturer recommends for service up to your existing mileage.  And where are you going to find this info?….Yep the glove box car bible, your Owner’s Manual.

Now please keep in mind that if you “missed” the 15,000 mile service and you are at 30,000 miles, there is going to be items from both lists that may be called for as far as maintenance.  Your mechanic will help advise you.  The mechanic, along with the recommended services, will check all of the system from tires and suspension, the battery, the charging system and belts, the cooling system, all fluids, exhaust system, lights and will likely link up to your OBD system.  The OBD is the On Board Diagnostics module that will keep errors or trouble codes in memory.  This will help find system problems.  Once the mechanic has all items evaluated and up to par, you can have higher confidence in your vehicle’s safety and performance.  So just as you prepare for the other aspects of your vacation like hotels and restaurant reservations, take time prior to leaving, say 2 weeks before your trip, to get the vehicle up to the task.

There are certain things that you should routinely do prior to taking your car out on the road.  At each gas fill up, let’s assume a weekly task, check you motor oil level. I would recommend that you do this yourself as you can see if it looks really black, is gritty, or if it looks foamy or whitish. Gritty oil is often a sign of oil in service for too long an interval and should be changed.  The grittiness can also mean engine wear.  A white, foamy look to oil can be a cooling system/head gasket issue and needs immediate attention. Assuming that the oil is changed at an appropriate interval, a dark color to the oil may be very normal. Motor oil will change color as it absorbs combustion byproducts.

Another item that is often overlooked is tire pressure.  The tire pressures for your vehicle are often listed on the driver’s door inside frame or possibly on a sticker in your glove box.  Tire pressure should be checked monthly and only after the car has been stationary for at least 4 hours.  Underinflated tires waste gas, ruins tire treads, can create handling/braking problems and can lead to tire overheating and blowouts!  And please do not think that “more is better” when it comes to tire inflation.  More air can also lead to handling problems and tire wear issues.  Oh and please use the tire inflation placard numbers on the door jam.  I cannot begin to tell you how many people use the tire’s imprinted Maximum Inflation Number to set their tire pressures!  When tires get hot, the air inside expands and will raise the pressures.  Tire pressures also change from climate temperature changes.  For each 10 degrees of temperature change, tires will change 1 PSI (pounds per square inch). If it goes from 70 to 80 degrees the tires will have 1 PSI more of pressure.  Conversely, if the temperatures outside get colder by 10 degrees, then your tires will be underinflated by 1 PSI.  Air also escapes from a tire naturally, so keep an eye on them.

Worn tires usually look bald meaning that the treads have lost their groove patterns.  Often worn tires show there “Wear Bands”.  These are bands of rubber that run across the width of the tire, often perpendicular to the tread pattern.  When visible, the tire is at or beyond its serviceable life.  Another trick  to evaluate remaining tread is to use a US quarter.  Hold President Washington’s image upside down and insert the top of his head into the tread.  If you can see the top of Washington’s head, the tread is too shallow and needs replacement.  Tires are often replaced in pairs.  Recent recommendations are to replace tires that are 6 years and older regardless of mileage due to internal degradation. Rubber gets weak over time due to Ozone and UV light. The TireRack.com has some of the best tire information available on the internet.  If in doubt, visit a local tire shop and get a professional opinion.

Check around the vehicle for leaks, check fluids and that all of your lights are working.  If your wiper blades are streaking and squeaking, it’s best to change them.  Most wiper blades last only three months.  A personal favorite of mine are the Rain-X Latitude blades, recently highly rated by Consumer Reports.  You should also pack in the trunk a box with an additional quart of motor oil, a gallon of windshield washer fluid, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a small tool kit, protective gloves, a blanket, road flares and a flashlight.  I would also include a tire gauge, glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels and tire inflator repair sealer (can).  It would also be wise to pack a spare ignition key just in case you lose one.  A fully charged cell phone and a cigarette lighter charger goes a long way to improving safety.  Make sure to pack the wall charger, too!

One thing that I truly believe in is a GPS system (Global Positioning System or Navigation System).  If your vehicle did not come with its own navigation system, this technology can be had for $200 or less!  Not only do they provide maps and directions, but can offer locations of rest stops, hospitals, gas stations and lodging.  Some newer models also offer traffic updates to alert drivers to traffic accidents and lane/road closures.  I have personally owned Garmin Nuvi units and they are awesome little pieces of technology…and add to the peace of mind as you are on your trip.

In my next blog, I’ll talk about improving gas mileage as we see gas prices creeping higher once again.  Thank you for your comments and compliments!  I appreciate all of them!!!

So, stay safe out there…enjoy being American….Happy 4th of July!!!

Thanks for stopping’ by!!!!!

Uncle Vinny

After having discussed viscosity and the importance of following your owner’s manual, we also discussed API, ACEA and OEM Approvals.  I believe we should start with a brief discussion on Conventional and Synthetic oils.  This topic alone gets people heated and fired up similar to a political discussion on the GOP vs. the Democrats.

My first recommendation is what folks? That’s right. Follow the recommendations required by the auto manufacturer.  If the motor came from the factory with synthetic oil, you must stay synthetic.  Many BMWs, AMG Mercedes, all Corvettes and Vipers plus a whole host of other vehicles come straight from the factory with synthetic oils in the crankcase.  I am sure that there are several car and truck makes that come with conventional oil in the crank case as their initial fill.

“So Uncle Vinny, what’s so special about synthetic motor oil?”  Well we first must discuss what makes up “a motor oil” regardless of whether it’s conventional (aka Dino oil) or synthetic.  Both oils are basically made of two parts, its base stock and its additive package.  Conventional oils are made from crude oil that is extracted and chemically “tweaked” to become motor oil.  Conventional base oils are mixtures of thousands of different chemicals.  They are true petroleum products.

Synthetic oils are different in that they are synthesized from relatively pure chemicals specifically manufactured for a given performance characteristic. Most synthetics start as petrol oil and are chemically broken into 10 carbon units.  Three of these units are chemically connected back together.  These oils building blocks are called Polyalphaolefines or PAOs for short.   Another synthetic oil building block is the ester molecule.  This is a lab synthesized molecule created by reacting an alcohols and acids.  Esters may be made from vegetable, mineral or animal fatty acids.  These ester molecules are also called diesters, polyoesters, polyesters and complex esters.  The more esters synthetic oil has in its base, the more expensive the quart or liter will cost the consumer.

There is yet another group of “synthetic” oils that use hydrocracking or Isodewaxing.  Mobil took Castrol to court on this in 1997 and ultimately lost its case.  Mobil’s argument was that breaking a petrol molecule and reworking it was not truly a way towards making a full synthetic oil.  This method allowed for a less expensive way to fabricate a “synthetic oil”.  This made it difficult for Mobil 1 to compete on a price point with Castrol SynTec.

Most oil purists, especially yours truly, are a big believer in PAO based synthetics fortified with ester molecules.  Esters increase low temperature flow characteristics and are very high heat stable.  Oils used in modern jet engines are ester based.  To name a few high quality synthetic oils that contain higher levels of esters are Amsoil, Motul and Redline.  All have excellent reputations and have their cult following (including moi).  You will pay more for these “Boutique”synthetics than those “Garden Varieties” found on most car parts shelves.   Finding these “Boutique Oils” outside of the internet may be difficult.  Look to Speed and Race shops to stock these oils on their shelves.

So remember when I said that there are two parts to oil, its base stock and its additives.  Additives fortify the base stock and improve its performance. Motor oil additives include detergents and dispersants  to keep engine parts clean.  Manufacturers also add anti-wear agents and extreme pressure additives.  To round out the additive package the manufacturer adds Oxidative inhibiters, Anti-foaming agents, rust and anti corrosion agents, Viscosity Index improvers, Pour point Depressants and Friction Modifiers.   And you thought it was “Just Motor Oil”!

Hey Uncle Vinny….you said nothing about Conventional Motor Oils and zip about Synthetic Blends”. Do you remember when I said that the topic of oil can get people heated?  Can conventional oil do a good job? The answer is “yes” as long as it is specked for by the manufacturer.  Synthetics are better as far as durability, heat and cold responses and especially engine cleanliness. These Blends or Synthetic Blends are synthetic fortified conventional oils and offer a middle of the road approach, hopefully improving on conventional oil’s performance but with less cost than full synthetic oil.

But does using a full synthetic oil make my engine last longer? I do remember that old Mobil 1 commercial that touted” after 200,000 miles virtually no engine wear”.  The only article I had read was back around the millennium done by Consumer Reports magazine.  Its conclusion was that a frequently changed conventional oil proved as strong in Taxi Cabs as a more expensive synthetic. They saw no increase in repairs or break downs with their test vehicles running conventional oil.  Is the difference in performance seen in 5,000 miles or after 50 or 100,000 miles.  How many people actually keep a vehicle past 100K?

So where are we?  Remember to stick with what your auto manufacturer has recommended for the vehicle.  If it came from the factory with conventional oil, you can certainly upgrade to a Blend or a full synthetic.  Keep in mind that the extra cost for synthetic may be $3-5 more per quart so that’s $15 to $25 more per a 5 quart oil change.  If, however, you can go say 5-6000 miles on the synthetic vs. 3,000 miles on the conventional, you are moving toward a more economical choice and reaping all of the benefits of a full synthetic (better engine power, fuel economy, cleanliness, etc.)  You will also be helping the planet (a Think Green Note, a first here!!!) by creating less used oil.  Remember to find a recycling center, too, for your used motor oil. Some towns will take it at their recycling centers as well as many Auto Parts chains like Advance Auto, AutoZone and Strauss to name a few.

I think we’ll take a break from motor oil for a blog or two.  I am open to your suggestions.  Perhaps a nice chat on maximizing gas mileage and prepping a car or truck for that family vacation would be fun and timely!

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

Stay safe out there!!!!

Uncle Vinny

If I haven’t said this once, I’ll say it another dozen times, read your owner’s manual and see what your car’s manufacturer recommends for its oil. We already talked about it’s viscosity requirements, but what else is important? If it calls for synthetic oil, you must stick with it. Remember motors are often  designed with a specific type of oil flowing through it. These oil requirements are called OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) approval ratings.

Let’s take my 2006 Corvette for example. GM calls for a synthetic 5W30 (Mobil 1 is the factory fill). Other 5W30 synthetic oils are acceptable but they must have GM specification 4718M and GM6094M. These are OEM  requirements for high performance/high heat temperature performance required by General Motors engineers. My Jeep SRT-8 and its Hemi require 0W40 or 5W40 that has the MB 229.51 specification. So the point here is that more than the viscosity and type of oil is important to your vehicles engine. Volkswagen, BMW, and Honda are a few other carmakers that have an OEM requirement for the engine oil.

There is a lot of other info on the back of oil bottles. There is the API rating or the American Petroleum Institute classification system. The letter “S” followed by another letter, currently “SM” for example, denotes any oil appropriate for gasoline engines. SM oils are superior to the older SL oils. SM ratings emerged in late 2004. So if you have a 2001 car it likely called for SL oil. SM oils supercede SL oils and will cover you just fine. Without getting off topic, one of the changes in the newer SM rated oil was an agreement to decrease a zinc additive used for decreasing wear called ZDDP. Car manufacturers were concerned about burning of SL rated oils and zinc poisoning the pollution devices (mainly the catalytic converters). This would lead to an increase in air pollution. We’ll talk another time on ZDDP lower levels in SM oils and a problem with older designed engines later in another post.

Okay, so where are we? The API with the letter “C” is for diesel engines and yes there are diesel manufacturer requirements too. Currently CI-4 is the newest for diesel oils. You may notice that some oils will have both an “S” and a “C” rating for example an API Sm/CF rating. So yes some oils can be used in different types of engines, both gas and diesel.

But wait…there’s more! Many oils have a European rating as well. ACEA is the abbreviation and it stands for Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles. Yikes! ACEA has established four performance categories. Category A is for petrol (gasoline) engines and Category B for diesel motors. There’s also a C and E category but they are for newer diesel engines. We’ll keep our discussion to the A and B categories.

An ACEA rating of A1 or A2 is for base performance levels, A1 for lower viscosity fuel-efficient oils and A2 for higher viscosity oils. A3 and A5 are higher performing oils where A5 is for high performance lower viscosity fuel-efficient oils. A4 is for direct injection engines like those found in the engine bays of Audi cars. The B category for diesel motors is similarly divided where B5 is king.

Lastly, there is an ILSAC rating which is the International Lubricant Standardization Advisory Committee. They place a GF rating on an oil if it proves to be energy conserving. The latest GF rating is GF-4. It provides better fuel mileage that the older (prior to 2004) GF-3.

So have you had enough? Bet you won’t look the same way at a bottle of motor oil ever again! Think about how much you have learned! “So Uncle Vinny, does that mean that the best oil has an API seal of approval, with SM, A5 GF-4 rating?” Well maybe not or at least not so fast. There are these things called boutique oils that build oils the way they believe they should be made. And they don’t pay the high fees to have their oils API certified. There are oil cults out there! And there’s more to the story. We’ll continue onward with part 3 about synthetic and conventional oils.

Thanks for stoppin’ by!

Stay safe out there!

Uncle Vinny

If you’ve ever stopped and actually looked at all of the choices of motor oils, you would truly be astounded. Most of us are repeat oil shoppers and grab at the “familiar” packaging before we check out. But the next time you’re at your favorite car parts store, actually take a moment and look around at all of the choices. Oil containers in yellow, green, red, black, and silver (come on Car Guys…Can you name the brands?). Oh, I forgot purple and white colors too. So how do we choose the “right oil” for our beloved machines?

Well, usually we go to the little bible given to us that lives in the glove box, yes, the owner’s manual. There is a manufacture’s recommended oil grade/specification right inside. Auto manufacturers make it even easier by often printing on the oil filler cap what oil is called for in the motor. Usually the first level of info needed to make your selection is the oil’s viscosity and the type of oil, conventional or synthetic.

Viscosity is the oil’s flow characteristics when cold and hot. When a car requires a 5W30 oil, this is oil that in cold weather acts like 5 weight oil (the first number in the code) and acts like 30 weight oil when hot. So why is the viscosity important? Perhaps a quick discussion on what a motor oil does in the engine and why it is important is first in order.

Motor oil reduces friction inside the engine and reduces wear that occurs. It also allows for the motor to start easily and keeps engine surfaces clean. Oil cools moving parts and reduces heat buildup. Motor oil traps byproducts of combustion and suspends it away from engine parts. Lastly, oil prevents rust and corrosion. Without the lubrication of oil an engine would seize up with heat. One dead motor! That is why oil is often called the “Life blood of your car”.

So let’s go back to viscosity for a moment. I hope that viscosity actually means something now. On a cold start, the motor oil must be thin enough to quickly flow to all engine parts to prevent wear. As a side note, most engine wear occurs at cold starts! Therefore, the lower the first number, the quicker the oil flows when the outside temperature is near or below freezing. Have you noticed the newest trend in oils? Have you seen 0W20, 0W30, and 40 weights? They’re out there. The 0 rating means they are the class of thinnest cold flowing oils and are often touted as being the most fuel efficient, gas saving oils of the bunch. And don’t forget that second number, 30, 40, 50, and 60. Those are the hot operating temperature numbers. The higher numbers can offer better hot protection but often sacrifice power and fuel economy. Think of the difference between pouring pancake syrup and pouring molasses (back to food). So what’s a person to do when there seems to be so many variables and so many choices? Remember the bible in your glove box?

You car’s manufacturer has given you lots of info and has guided you to just a choice or two. Remember the oil cap? It may not only have the viscosity needed but may recommend an oil manufacturer  like Mobil or Castrol (just to name two). So when in doubt, match the oil with the owner’s manual. But Uncle Vinny, there’s sometimes alternate acceptable viscosities? It says that I can use a 5W30 as an alternate to 5W20.

I told you this wasn’t gonna be easy! I’ll continue my discussion on motor oil in Part 2. I’ll talk about API seals, ACEA ratings, and auto manufacturer’s requirements when it comes to oils.We’ll also talk a little about conventional and sythetic oils.   Hope you learned something.

Thanks for stoppin’ by.

Keep safe out there!!

Uncle Vinny

I toyed with several ways at expressing “What is a Car Guy”? Perhaps as a series of questions like, “Is your private bathroom stocked with various car magazines, some several years old?” And are they piled high enough on the toilet tank that they act as a home-made headrest? Do you feel drawn to visit the Car Care aisle of any store, supermarkets included, out of fear that you might miss out on something new? If this seems faintly familiar then you are likely a “Car Guy”. Some of my most insightful car guy moments have occurred in these car care areas of retail stores. Last fall I found myself, that’s right, smack in the middle of the car care area of a local Wally World, paying homage to the vast selections and endless shelves of waxes, batteries and additives. As I rounded the corner with much anticipation for the motor oil section, I startled an older woman who had clutched in her arms numerous bottles of motor oil. She stared at me with the type of look that we all have experienced when we accidentally walk in on someone in a public bathroom stall. Add to that gaze slight moisture to her eyes that conveyed, along with her surprise, the relief that help had finally arrived.

Before this woman of sixty something years could utter a single syllable, I recognized her distress. Among the six quarts of oil that she was holding were 6 different brands and at least 5 different viscosities. I quickly smiled at her, hoping to change my facial expression from ”you don’t have a frickin’ clue” to one of helpful compassion. It was then that I uttered, “Seems that you have your hands full?” She expressed that her mechanic told her to pick up 6 quarts of oil and to get” the good stuff”. Being the “car guy” my brain had to slide down to the lowest rung of automotive functioning. There’ll be no discussions of ZDDP or moly levels, not even a discussion of SL vs. the newer (lesser) SM rated oils was to occur. No this was going to be tough on me. As sweetly as possible, I asked, “For what car is this for?” A “1998 Maxima”, she blurted. With that I realized how heavy those six quarts were getting as they continue to slip away from her grasp. I quickly started taking them from her and began to re stack them on an empty area of the shelf.

My brother-in-law has the same vehicle so my oil selection for her was lightning quick as I chose from the mish-mos of oil bottles the Synthetic 5w30 Older Car Formula. “Here you go”, I said as I put 6 bottles of this oil in her cart. And then it happened, a knee jerk reaction as if my unconscious brain made my hand shoot off toward the oil shelves once again. “Here’s an extra quart so you can top off as needed”.

With an appreciative smile and a heartfelt, “Thank you young man” the good deed for Uncle Vinny was done for the day. I was grateful that she didn’t ask, “What about the filter?”

I felt quite good that this car guy righted a wrong and kept the automotive world a little safer. It was at the moment that I passed the service counter that I realized it was time to go. It was here that I heard the three most frightening words of the day. These words were uttered by a middle aged man in his response
to the service advisor when asked, “What kind of oil would you like us to use today?” The customer’s three word response was, “Put in whatever”. I knew it was time to go. Oh the Horror, the Horror.

In my next blog, I’ll talk a little about motor oils.

Thanks for stoppin’ by.

Stay safe out there!!!!

Uncle Vinny