Topic: Northern Exposure: 8 Ways to Waste Money on Your Car

[Autos_Editor]

A few considerations for cost-effective automotive enjoyment.

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[hemusbull]

Where is a pricey girlfriend ...

[ChaosphereIX]

good article. Very sound advice. Although the gas thing, and I am donning my flame suit here, depends on what type of aspiration. Turbo and supercharged cars DO benefit from increased octane ratings as they allow for more advanced timing etc. As long as the maps are in the ECU, the high test gas can get you some extra punch AND efficiency. But if the maps are not in there, then indeed it is a waste. This is even more pronounced when a tuner gets a hold of those maps and tweaks them for the increased octane rating.

And I totally agree with the brakes thing, silly to have them, as well as stupid aero kits, on an old Integra which will never really make use of them on the street.

That is another item: spoilers and aero kits on cars that are sub-150mph machines - especially FWD Civics 

[mixmanmash]

I disagree with this articles take on oil and synthetic oil.  The only way to truly know what is happening with the oil in your engine is to get an used oil analysis.

A good friend of mine works for such a company and made some alarming discoveries.  The factory Nissan oil that the dealerships use sheers and brakes down within 500km in the VQ engines.  He discovered this in his 350Z where the Nissan 5W30 sheered to a 20 weight and was showing up with higher wear materials.  He tried several oils and weights until he started seeing a downward trend.  He found Mobil 1 0W40 offered the best protection in the VQ.  It appears that the oil pump is harsh on the oil.

The other thing is, most synthetics can allow you to extend your service intervals, but I would only change that once an used oil analysis can prove that.

As well, in colder weather, many synthetics flow better than conventional oils.  This can help reduce wear and provide better fuel economy, even when used in transmissions.

[aaronk]

...
That is another item: spoilers and aero kits on cars that are sub-150mph machines - especially FWD Civics 

Ah yes, the ubiquitous 'sport package' - like the one you used to be able to get on the Ford Windstar 

[ChaosphereIX]

I disagree with this articles take on oil and synthetic oil.  The only way to truly know what is happening with the oil in your engine is to get an used oil analysis.

A good friend of mine works for such a company and made some alarming discoveries.  The factory Nissan oil that the dealerships use sheers and brakes down within 500km in the VQ engines.  He discovered this in his 350Z where the Nissan 5W30 sheered to a 20 weight and was showing up with higher wear materials.  He tried several oils and weights until he started seeing a downward trend.  He found Mobil 1 0W40 offered the best protection in the VQ.  It appears that the oil pump is harsh on the oil.

The other thing is, most synthetics can allow you to extend your service intervals, but I would only change that once an used oil analysis can prove that.

As well, in colder weather, many synthetics flow better than conventional oils.  This can help reduce wear and provide better fuel economy, even when used in transmissions.

yeah I agree about that. Whatever car you drive, synthetic will always be better [a few exceptions such as high wear engines that will start to leak etc.]. Analysis is the best tool to figure out what oil is good for your car. Technically, for my Saab, 0-5w40/30 are best, but some are better than others. Some swear by Mobil1, while others say it shears at higher rpm and heat load [bad for turbo life]. I personally use Rotella T6 5w40, a diesel oil technically, but it does extremely well in the Ecotec and has good numbers from used oil analyses. The factory fill is fine, but not always the best.

I do agree that not every street driven car needs to have Amsoil ro Royal Purple in its veins, but if you have the money why not. They are proven oils and are good.

Best advice I can say is go to your car's forums and bobistheoilguy.com and get some lessons from the PhDs of engine oil from there...

[johngenx]

I use Amsoil in all our cars, and guess what, it's really not that much more than dino oil.  Their top of the line Signature synthetic is $8.40/L in 5W20.

Given the low differential in pricing and our cold winters, using synthetic here makes sense to me.

[ChaosphereIX]

I use Amsoil in all our cars, and guess what, it's really not that much more than dino oil.  Their top of the line Signature synthetic is $8.40/L in 5W20.

Given the low differential in pricing and our cold winters, using synthetic here makes sense to me.

[MR2Pritch]

And I track my MR2 GTS all day long with castrol GTX in it, have no issues, and know its clean as a whistle inside

mind you, i don't drive it when its cold

JP

[Fobroader]

Synthetic fluids are a really smart choice in the prairies, with the absolute cold and windchills we get here, any kind of fluid that doesnt turn into a solid at below -30 is great. As Chaos mentioned, for the little cost over dino oil, why not? 

[vickenp]

You mean racing stripes and K&N stickers don't change a thing?

Boy a lot of cavalier guys are gonna flip when they read this article.

Great article btw...spoilers - on most cars are for looks or shopping cart handles

[Fobroader]

You mean racing stripes and K&N stickers don't change a thing?

Boy a lot of cavalier guys are gonna flip when they read this article.

Great article btw...spoilers - on most cars are for looks or shopping cart handles

You mean the Canadian Tire stickers and chrome racing pack doesnt give you extra ponies.......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 

[MR2Pritch]

good thing i didnt mention truck nuts. everyone has truck nuts up here.

[Fobroader]

good thing i didnt mention truck nuts. everyone has truck nuts up here.

Come to Alberta...... ........Its shameful that I have to share the same air as someone with truck nuts.

[ChaosphereIX]

good thing i didnt mention truck nuts. everyone has truck nuts up here.

those are a joke. But I think the article is trying to point out things that people think make their car faster/run better etc. which really are not beneficial. truck nuts are merely window dressing.

But yes truck nuts are rediculous.

[ChaosphereIX]

more items: fart-can mufflers with restrictive stock exhausts, cold air intakes with forced induction engines who have the stock intercooler, K&N panel filters or cone filters, and upgraded bypass valves / blow off valves - all are only for sound and really do not provide any benefit whatsoever on the dyno/track/street. Some items are more durable, however, I will concede that.

Or how about HIDs in halogen housings with a deep blue light? The 18 year old might think it looks crazy on his 98 Civic, but he sure cant see anything at night...

[redman]

I just want to know where I can find regular fuel at a 110 per liter 

[Northernridge]

Kind of a random list...must be a thousand ways to waste money on your car...like having one at all. 

This topic could be its own thread. I think selecting the wrong vehicle for needs, poor negotiating and bad financing terms are major causes of waste.

[canuckystan]

The high octane fuel is not so cut and dried.  At some fuel stations, the only fuel without ethanol is the premium fuel.  Depending on your car, you may not want ethanol in it.  And some vehicles (like mine) get horrendous fuel economy with ethanol blend fuels, that makes premium the better choice (if it is the only one without ethanol).

The biggest cost of a new car is depreciation, which trumps fuel, insurance, gadgets, etc.  So the best way to not waste money on a car is avoiding a new one.

[opg210]

Kind of a random list...must be a thousand ways to waste money on your car...like having one at all. 

This topic could be its own thread. I think selecting the wrong vehicle for needs, poor negotiating and bad financing terms are major causes of waste.

Assuming you're not willfully wasteful, you "need" a Mercedes?