When it comes to automobile care and maintenance, Trisha Hessinger isn’t idling.
Her passion is revved up and roaring to go.
The car care expert brought her automobile enthusiasm April 14 to Firestone Tire and Service Center at 901 N. Germantown Parkway with the award-winning Mastercare Car Care Academy.
Sponsored by Firestone, the car clinic is designed to educate car owners about general car care and maintenance. Hessinger brought her message with more than 20 years of automotive experience as host of three automotive cable television programs, a driving instructor and a competitive open wheel and showroom stock car racer.
Designed for people of all ages and levels of automotive experience, the class gives its students the basics of car care.
"What we do is to try to give people the ABC’s of car care," Hessigner said. "What I recommend to students is a monthly checklist of things that will make the car safer, handle better and give it more gas mileage."
Each month, car owners should check the vital fluids in their automobiles, including coolant, oil, power steering fluid, brake fluid and window washer fluid, she said. Tire pressure also should be checked monthly, as Hessinger said "most people drive with at least one tire under inflated by at least five pounds."
At the hands-on class, Hessinger uses an actual car to show students what color different fluids are and where they can be added. Taking small steps, she said, like keeping fluid reservoirs full can keep car maintenance costs down.
"Nobody wants to spend a lot of money on car maintenance," she said. "If you stay on top of it, a little prevention goes a long way."
With gas prices reaching record highs, drivers have become more aware of their gas tanks and fuel economy. Hessinger said car owners can increase fuel efficiency with a few simple tips. Cars with correct tire pressure and less weight in the trunk get better mileage, and a car that has been cleaned and waxed "shoots down the highway with less resistance."
Driving habits also affect gas mileage. Hessinger recommends using highways whenever possible and cruise control to stay a constant speed. Drivers should also accelerate smoothly, not gunning the engine from a standstill.
During summer months, car owners must pay especially close attention to their coolant level to keep the engine from overheating, she said. Because coolant breaks down over a period of two or three years, the quality of the coolant should be checked at least once a year, preferably before summer temperatures start to rise.
"You never want to let coolant get below the recommended level," Hessinger said. "And spring is a good time to check the quality of the coolant."
While many car owners know that they should check their cars’ fluids and tire pressure on a regular basis, Hessinger said there were several car care tips that people sometimes ignore, causing severe damage to their automobiles. She said many newer car models have a "computer brain that monitors things like emissions and the mixture for the engine." Ignoring the "check engine light," could be a big mistake.
"When you get a ‘check engine light,’ it could mean that one of a hundred things are wrong," she said. "A lot of people ignore that light, but they need to let a technician put it on a diagnostic machine. It might just be a $10 sensor, but it could be a major problem."
Since April is car care month, Hessinger suggests that car owners give their cars a wash and begin a general car care regimen. Not only will the car look and drive better, the owner will feel better too.
"You need to give your car the wash and wax that it deserves after the winter months," she said. "The better you treat your car, the better it will treat you."
To Contact Trisha:
phone: 610.554.6929
cell: 610-390-1919
fax: 610.916.8893
email: TAHgo4it@AOL.com
1303 Pleasant Hill Road
Fleetwood, PA 19522
USA
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