Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 27, 1994 TAG: 9412280007
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Back in those days, Hohman would have guessed that steel belts were either something to hold up your clothing, or kinky garters, instead of the main construction material of her car's radial tires. She has since learned how dangerous it is to let the tire treads wear so low.
In fact, during an educational program for women that she helped develop, Hohman defined and demonstrated steel belts and other tire- and car-related terminology with an easy familiarity gained during the past eight years in sales with the Michelin company.
"Such clinics aren't new to the industry," said Richard Sheehan, director of education and development for Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers, which recently co-sponsored and housed the free Women's Car Care Clinic held at the Franklin Road store in Roanoke.
"From a business standpoint, trust builds business. The idea is to educate consumers so they can ask the right questions and make rational decisions," Sheehan said.
Hohman, now Michelin's training manager, said that women have often told her they feel vulnerable about car repairs and buying tires. Opening her Nissan's hood and flicking open a clean wipe rag, Hohman told the eight women assembled for the clinic, "Knowledge is power."
She reminded everyone to follow the specifications in the owner's manual and to use the hood brace, if available. She then launched into basic explanations of the innards of the car.
"Oil lubricates the engine to reduce heat and friction," Hohman said. "You want to keep it clean, at the proper level and not put in the wrong fluid," she said, demonstrating the proper technique for checking the oil's level.
Ideally, this would be done on a level site with the car at operating temperature, she said. Having to add more than a quart of oil at a time probably indicates a larger problem, plus overfilling the engine could burst its line and blow out its seals.
"I had one woman who didn't know how much oil to add, so she just kept adding it until she filled up the crank case. It took about a case of oil, but she did it. Another woman couldn't figure out where to put in the oil, so she poured it down the dip stick tube. It eventually got to the right place, but it took a while," Hohman laughed.
She said that such stories as well as more structured surveys and interviews formed the basis for the trial car care program, which she's been presenting in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina since Nov. 10.
"The things that people want and need to know tend to be basic," she said.
She explained the structure and operation of the brake system, which the class would later observe firsthand along with an oil pan, catalytic converters, muffler, tail pipe, tie rods, struts and shocks in a car on a lift.
Almost reverently, Hohman cleaned the brake fluid container's lid before opening it. She showed how to prevent the corrosive fluid from touching the car's finish.
Use brake fluid from a sealed container, if possible, or one no older than three months, she said. Dirt, moisture or - heaven forbid - the wrong type, such as power steering fluid in the brake line, will almost certainly cost in the range of $1,000 or more to fix, she warned. In fact, the wrong fluid in any line can cause major problems.
During the roughly two-hours long hands-on presentation, Hohman discussed and demonstrated a car's engine, transmission, brakes, power steering and heating/cooling system. She covered oil types, weights and filters, and discussed synthetic versus standard oils. Questions were encouraged.
"Women ask better questions," Merchant's Sheehan said. "Men are embarrassed to ask. They feel that they should know about cars just because they're men. Women are also more rational. If you tell them they need new brakes, they're likely to listen. Men want to go another 5,000 miles."
He said that men can attend the clinics if they want to, and if the pilot program is continued after the first of the year, it probably will be offered to both sexes.
In the meantime, though, he said, most women seem to prefer that male consumers usually aren't present. The all-female gatherings tend to be more relaxed, encouraging a blend of auto-appurtenances education, personal experiences, anecdotes and tips, such as:
Antifreeze and coolant are the same fluid, geared to lower water's freezing point or raise its boiling point, as needed. Draining the old fluid, without flushing the radiator, is usually enough. The highly toxic liquid should be kept away from small children and pets and requires special disposal procedures. It lasts indefinitely in its packaging.
Generally, transmission fluid should be changed every 25,000 to 30,000 miles. But if your car has gone more than 80,000 miles without a fluid change, to do so now could create rather than prevent problems.
Since most gas stations don't have on hand the myriad models needed, keep your car's old but still intact belts as emergency spares, particularly the serpentine types that now drive most car's systems.
You can't visually or manually inspect your timing belt, so just trust the manufacturer and change it at the recommended intervals. The ballpark $200-per-change charge is worth avoiding the possibility of the belt breaking and, especially in 4-cylinder cars, damaging the engine's upper half or bending valves. Since external belts must be removed for this change, it's cost-effective to have them replaced at this time as well to avoid repeat labor charges.
Air pressure, not the tire, carries a car's weight. The correct pressure, which may be different for front and back tires, can usually be found on the car's door jamb or in its glove box as well as in the owner's manual.
Ideally, because outdoor temperature can affect it, air pressure should be checked monthly before you drive on the tire.
If you need a valve stem, check the ground near an air pump. People are always forgetting to put the stems back on.
The nonprofit Car Care Council's "How to Find Your Way Under the Hood & Around the Car" can help you keep track of various necessary maintenance intervals. To receive a free copy, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to The Car Care Council, Dept. UH, One Grande Lake Drive, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.
The pilot car-care clinic program is being evaluated to determine whether or when it will be offered again.
by CNB