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Why's the battery in Tim's VW dying such a sudden death?
Dear Tom and Ray: I purchased a new 2010 VW CC, and the car has 5,000 miles on it. During a long weekend, I left the car unused for four days, and the battery died. There were no lights on or external power drains. On Tuesday I went to the dealer where I purchased the car and was told: "There is nothing wrong with the car -- they just do that because there is a lot of power drain due to the computer." I called another VW dealer and was given a similar answer. My question is, How can a car company design a car with a battery that lasts only four days? Shouldn't a car be able to sit for more than four days without the battery dying? Thanks. -- Tim
Headlights on during daylight hours? See what Tom and Ray say.
Dear Tom and Ray: I enjoy your column every week. In our cars, the headlights turn off automatically when we exit the vehicle, so there's no danger of leaving the lights on and draining the battery. So my wife and I just leave the headlights on all the time when we're driving. I think if anything, this is safer, as does she. Is there any reason not to drive with the headlights on all the time? What about the fog lights? Unless you have a reason not to, we'll continue to do it. Thanks. -- Rob
Is jump-starting a lawnmower a wise idea? Find out.
Dear Tom and Ray: This question isn't about a specific car, but is a general equipment question. Of course, during the winter, my riding lawn mower has gotten no driving time, and thus the battery has died. I was wondering if it is safe to jump-start the lawn mower with my car, and if you have any tips on how to do it. Thanks! -- Cameron
Today: why engine oil has gotten lighter in recent years.
Dear Tom and Ray: I recently was advised to use a much lighter weight of oil than I am used to using. I was told I should use 5-20 weight oil in my 2007 Pontiac Solstice convertible. I grew up in Minnesota, where this was considered "winter weight" oil. For summer, we all went up to 20-40 or 30-50 weight. Now I live in northern Georgia, and 5-20 weight just sounds awfully thin -- especially in summer. So, is the mechanic trying to ruin my engine? Or have things changed since I was 16? Thank you! -- Richard
Is a dream car from high school a good idea today?
Dear Tom and Ray: I graduated from high school in 1963, and my dream car was the 1963 Studebaker Avanti. Well, life got in the way, and I never realized my dream of owning an Avanti. I recently have been going on eBay to find Avantis that have survived these past 47 years. I have located several that are rated from museum quality to daily drivers. This car did not achieve star status, as Studebaker went out of business in 1966, and a Canadian company produced replicas for several years. But the '63 and '64 models, in average condition, seem to be going for between 6,000 and 13,000 dollars. My questions are: (1) Do you think a 47-year-old vehicle could be a dependable car for everyday use? I do not want a trailer queen or a covered dust collector in the garage. And (2) the Avanti was known as a muscle car in its day, so could I expect it to still be as strong today? I know I'm not. Finally, (3) in the vast experience you both have with automobiles, do you think I would have to drive this kind of car with kid gloves and always be fearful of old-age-related problems? I really don't want to own a money pit. -- Gary
Can driving be good exercise? Jack thinks so.
Dear Tom and Ray: I wonder if you can settle an ongoing dispute that I have with my wife. She is an avid walker and an exercise freak. She wants me to join her on these power walks and different exercise activities. I constantly tell her that I get plenty of exercise by driving. I drive to work and back, about 20 miles each way, and frequently am driving on shopping excursions, sometimes 50 miles at a crack. I tell my wife that driving engages all the muscles around the arms, neck, shoulders and head. Additionally, it is beneficial to brain, hand, leg-and-eye coordination, and developing the whole body, as well as the mind. After a good bout of driving, I feel as healthy and refreshed as my wife does after one of her power walks. She insists that I am being delusional about the whole thing and need to put on my walking shoes. What do you think? -- Jack
Is that nagging brake light a big deal for Emma?
Dear Click and Clack: I remember listening to your radio show, "Car Talk," with my parents when I was a little kid, and hearing my mom say about a billion times that one of you had the same kind of car she had. That car was a Colt Vista, and now I drive one. And that's the reason I'm writing to you. Sookie is my 1987 Plymouth Colt Vista station wagon, and her brake warning light is ALWAYS on. The woman I bought the car from said she had someone check it out, and (at that point, anyway) there was nothing wrong. This is my first car, and I don't know if it's a big deal. I've been ignoring it since I bought the car a few months ago, but because I'm moving from California to Colorado in the car soon, I thought it's time to figure it out. What should I do? Thanks! -- Emma.
What to do when the washer fluid goes astray?
Dear Tom and Ray: My aunt called me the other day and said she had trouble trying to find the place where you put more windshield-washer fluid. She told me the only cover she found was one that said "Coolant." You guessed it -- she put the windshield-washer fluid in the coolant reservoir. She then told me that she used a bottle of Windex instead of the diluted blue stuff you buy for car windshields. What should I do to help her, and what possible damage did she do? -- Adam
Tom and Ray help Kara with an interesting business proposition.
Dear Tom and Ray: I am interested in purchasing a vintage/classic ice-cream truck such as the Divco for a new, gourmet-ice-cream truck venture. I have found rusted, inoperable trucks for 2,000 dollars and restored trucks for as much as 25,000 dollars. My first question is, Is this a reasonable truck to actually put back into service, and at what price? My second question is if you have a better recommendation for a "cool" commercial vehicle. Or just tell me I'm crazy, like my mother, brother and husband do, and maybe -- maybe -- I'll let this business idea go back into the file. -- Kara
Why do manufacturers still use drum brakes? Find out.
Dear Tom and Ray: All of the cheapest cars these days seem to have drum brakes on the rear instead of disc brakes. But drum brakes have more parts than disc brakes, and are much harder to assemble (I know from experience). You'd think that would add assembly-line costs and that it would be cheaper to put the better disc brakes on the cheapo econo-cars. What's up with that, guys? What am I not understanding? -- Barnaby
Today: why Rachel's dad should be allowed to drive his cars hard.
Dear Tom and Ray: Could you please settle an ongoing discussion that my family has had for years? On one side is my mother, my six sisters and me (that is not a typo; I really am one of seven girls. The baby is now 19, and we all are licensed drivers). On the other side is my father. You would think that after 40 years of being more and more severely outnumbered, he would've learned to just nod and go along with what we say like a good boy, but on this one point, he has proven himself to be ridiculously stubborn. There are very few things my mother, my sisters and I agree on, but one of them is this: None of us likes Dad to drive our car because, in our collective opinion, he is too rough on a car. He waits until the last possible nanosecond to stop at a red light, but pulls away from a green light like the devil himself is on his tail. He weaves in and out of traffic like he's forever in a hurry. Furthermore, he seems to never hear the little odd noises that any vehicle makes to tell you that something might be amiss, and then wonders why his vehicles are forever breaking down. In fact, he just lost the transmission in his F-150 and swears that it just "went." But I'd swear that it was making weird grinding noises weeks before he had to park it permanently in the driveway. Here's the kicker: My father SWEARS that the way one drives has no bearing whatsoever on how long a car lasts. We, the Female Collective of our family, not only think he's dead wrong, we think he's nuts. Could you please impress upon my dad that he kills cars with the way he drives and that we are justified in being reluctant to let him borrow ours when he, yet again, runs whatever he's driving into the ground? Thanks. -- Rachel
Is there any hope for Mark's failing Sienna van?
Dear Tom and Ray: The transaxle differential bearing on my '98 Toyota Sienna van is growling like a cat in the vet's office. This has been going on for about 5,000 miles now. Lately it has become more intense -- just like the cat does when the vet starts messing with his private parts. So far, we've dealt with it by turning up the volume on the radio. When it finally breaks, what will happen? Are we looking at a crash and burn -- or will I be able to drive it home? Any predictor of how long I have? Money is tight -- the longer I can prolong the repair or replacement, the better. -- Mark
Eileen gets a nasty air bag surprise.
Dear Tom and Ray: I hope you can help me. My rear passenger side air bag deployed, along with the passenger side mid bag and the window shield. There was no impact. I was moving at 35-40 mph on a smooth road with no potholes. I took the car to the dealer to get the problem fixed. They said it was not their problem and that I must have hit something. They saw a mark on the wheel and said I set off the bag when I hit a curb. OK ... so I hit a curb, but it was two weeks before the bag exploded. I don't think air bags have that kind of delayed reaction. So the question is, Where do I go to get the dealer to do the right thing? What federal or state agency should I report this to? My insurance company knows about it, and is trying to help. However, I want to be sure the dealer fixes what it should fix. What do I do to hold their feet to the fire? Please help me. -- Eileen P.S.: It is a Mercedes E350, and I have found another case just like this online.
Today: phone apps that keep your kid from driving and dialing.
Today: does revving an engine cause damage?
Dear Tom and Ray: My wife and I live out in Southern California and have some ... well, to be polite, interesting neighbors in our condo complex. One couple in particular is very proud of the Porsche 911 Carrera they're leasing. The car probably is a 2007 (about a year older than the woman's face ... the rest of her is a 1950-something). Whenever they start up this car, or before they turn it off, they make sure that they rev the engine loudly, in case we all forgot that they have a Porsche. My question is this: Can revving the engine while the car is not moving damage anything? -- Chris
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