If you are trying to determine the value of your used car, remember that the vehicle is actually worth what the prospective buyer is willing to pay for it. At the same time, there are standard values ​​depending on the year, make, model, status and functions, which can give you an idea of ​​what the value of your vehicle to a dealer. The following steps can help you determine the real value of your vehicle.

Find the value in the Blue Books (Blue Books) . The most common Blue Book company operated by Kelley Blue Book. On their website you can find the approximate value of your vehicle.

Go to the website of Kelley. You must indicate the year, make and model of your vehicle. You must also enter your area code. When you are given choices of what information you are looking for be sure to choose the “trade-in value”. This figure is telling you which is the approximate value or suggested retail price you can ask a dealer.
Put your vehicle mileage and additional functions.
Add the vehicle’s condition. The company categorizes vehicles in four conditions: excellent, good, fair and poor. Read all the categories and choose the one that best applies to the conditions of your vehicle.
Add any additional information and check which is the value. At the end of this process will find a list where it shows as a vehicle for your condition.

Evaluate if there are any additional problem that has your vehicle . Although most common problems are covered when assessing the overall condition of the vehicle. Some problems are considered serious and may lower the value of the vehicle. These include engine problems, leaking antifreeze, transmission problems or anything else that affects the normal functioning of the vehicle and repair costs money.

Understands the “distributor price . “When the dealer buys the vehicle you will need the title of it, find another buyer and sell the vehicle at a fair price that will also leave a profit selling it. This means that the value you receive will probably be lower than expected. Although the value that you enter the Blue Book is the higher, not to say that that is the amount of money you ultimately receive.

Negotiate the value of the vehicle . You have to reach a compromise with the dealer where both agree. If you do not agree you can take the vehicle and try to sell yourself in the market or donate to a charity. You realize Based on the conversation you have with the representative if the distributor believes that the vehicle is worth or not.

It is not easy to break bad habits car, but if you do not, you waste your money. With the controversy over fuel prices, we would think that drivers do their best fuel economy. But look around and notice that many managed as if they owned an oil field. Are you one of them? Well here are a few steps to help you save fuel.

When the light turns green, do not take off like an airplane . Accelerator is common to refer to as the “gas pedal” and for good reason, because the more I pressed, more fuel entering the engine. Press the accelerator slightly and gradually accelerate. No doubt where you get to a few seconds later, but it came. You’d be surprised how little pressure is needed for speed in reasonable time.

When later you see a red traffic light or red octagon sign (PARE), better sooner than later, your foot off the accelerator . It is useless to keep accelerating until shortly before reaching the intersection, unless you do not try to go through red lights and ignore the signs. Remove your foot from the pedal, giving rest to the engine while the car is in neutral as you brake gradually. In addition to the benefit of conserving fuel, brake pads and brake discs will last longer too.

Control your speed . Although it is not because of strong acceleration, excessive speed wastes fuel. The faster you move your car, the more air it has to push out of the way. This is comparable to moving your hand in the water. The faster you move your hand, push harder water. In a test conducted in the United States Consumer Reports, driving at 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour instead of 65 miles (105 kilometers) per hour reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles (5 and 8 km) per gallon (3.8 liters), depending on the vehicle.

Keep a reasonable distance between your car and the front . Follow another vehicle at close range is dangerous because it reduces your ability to react when the going in front slows or stops abruptly. If necessary, you must pay close attention to such vehicle, which reduces your ability to see other dangers ahead and sideways. Very short distance between your vehicle and the front will cause a great waste of fuel. Every time the driver touches the brake you follow, you have to slow even more than him or her. This is because you can not react instantly and you have to reduce further to compensate for the delay in your reaction. If you are reckless, re-accelerate to regain speed and resume your routine to bumper bumpers and wasting fuel cycle is repeated.

Retire in front of the vehicle easier to handle at a constant speed will use less fuel . A good rule is to keep a minimum of two seconds between your vehicle and you follow. This distance can be measured by counting two seconds after the vehicle in front passes an obvious reference point,like a sign on the road or bridge.

Do not drive steady . Perhaps you’ve heard it takes more fuel to restart the car to let it run. Maybe that was true in the past but not anymore. Then they’re hot, new engines with fuel injectors, require very little extra fuel to restart.

According to the California Energy Commission, for every minute a vehicle is stationary with the engine running, you burn about the same amount of fuel it would take a trip half mile (1 kilometer).

This is why hybrid cars shut down its gasoline engine whenever they stop, even for a moment.
If your car is not hybrid, surely not going to stop the engine on every little stop you, because the engine is not designed for that. Instead, turn off the engine if you expect the person who went to buy a soda and he promised to return soon.

Do not use the convenient stop for motorists service offered by some fast food restaurants. You are paying enough for the oil in those chicken nuggets.

Do not wait for warm up the engine before leaving, as it has no benefit and only serves to waste fuel. Start right away, but do it gently wise until the engine warms up.

For those trips rather short :

Take the opportunity and benefit with a little exercise. Walk to the store and instead of spending it save fuel while burning calories.

If you can not do your errands on foot, then do it all in one trip. According to the Department of Energy United States, many short transfers, which let the engine cool between each other, can use twice as much fuel. It is advisable to accumulate to make a single trip travel and visit all the points. First go to the most distant and so the engine will reach its optimum operating temperature. Then do your other errands during your return trip. With the engine warmed up, its on work will be easier and more efficient way to your home.

Start the car and head toward the light, and you see steam coming out from under the hood. Now turn on the alarm light on the temperature of the engine. Perhaps you’re driving down the road in cold conditions, and it seems as if the car will use more gasoline and heating did not work. Both scenarios correspond to cooling system problems of the vehicle.

Pay attention to the temperature of your car . When heated, this may be due to some problem in any of the various components of the cooling.

Check the leak . This should be the first action you take to determine if you have any problems with the cooling system.

Make sure the car has enough coolant, which is the temperature, and operating under the correct pressure.

Locate the different water hoses, the car with the hood up. There is a hose upper and lower motor, and two hoses from the heater.

Check for leaks around hose traps, or a slot in them.

Look around the radiator to make sure it does not leak and is not, therefore, the cause of your problems.

Remove the radiator cap after the car has cooled . Now, start the engine and bring the car to operating temperature.

Look inward, and you should see the coolant flow, if the thermostat is working properly. If you do not see it, then the thermostat is stuck and have to replace it.

If you are having heating problems, then you may have a problem with central heating, which could be blocked, and need to be replaced. Two hoses located slightly smaller than the engine and go to the back of the engine compartment. One of these hoses should feel slightly warmer than the other, when the engine reaches operating temperature and the heater is on. If one is significantly cooler than the other, the central heater is closed and may need to be replaced.

Look for other causes of the problem .

The problem can also be caused by a water pump. He looks down and tries to detect if there is a hole that drips from the bottom of the pump (motor off).

The water pump is failing, and needs to be replaced, if you feel that there is coolant or moisture.

The pump impellers can be damaged. In this case, not enough coolant through the system, and must be replaced.

It may also be that the radiator is blocked. This can happen in vehicles where cooling systems are not cleaned routinely, or not replace the coolant. The latter should be done at least once a year. The fix is ​​to replace or rebuild the radiator.

There may be a problem of overheating in cars with electric fans for cooling, if they are not working.

With the vehicle parking, and the temperature, check the fan turns on and pulls the outside cold air over the radiator. If not, you need to be replaced. Before doing so, take it to a trusted mechanic and let him check if there is a blown fuse or a bad connection.

Overheating is not the only problem that the vehicle’s cooling system can present. Some vehicles may run too cold. While this is not a problem so strong for the motor and overheating can lead to inefficient fuel consumption. The optimum operating temperature ensures proper combustion. This problem is similar to overheating, except that the thermostat is open.

Check the thermostat while the car’s engine is cold . Remove the radiator cap and start the engine. Look at the radiator. The thermostat has been opened and needs to be replaced, if you see that the coolant is flowing. Could also have a problem with the heater core. Check this in the way indicated in the steps above.

The slave cylinder is part of the hydraulic clutch manual transmission vehicles. When the master cylinder or the slave cylinder began to leak fluid, it must be replaced by the brake fluid. Adding new fluid will introduce air into the system, creating a soft or nonexistent when clutch pedal is depressed. To purge air from the hydraulic clutch system, you must release the air from the slave cylinder. The following article describes the three ways to drain a slave cylinder.

1. Drain manually secondary cylinder

• Lift the end of the motor vehicle with two jack stands to gain access to the drain valve, also called the “Pitcock”.
• Have an assistant sit in the car and press the clutch to the bottom
• Slide under the vehicle and locate the slave cylinder . It is located inside the transmission on some vehicles and out of the transmission in others. Look in your owner’s manual of your vehicle if you need help locating the slave cylinder.
• Loosen the drain valve with a wrench and have a container ready to catch the brake fluid to leak.
• Tighten the valve once it seems that all air is out.
• Release the clutch pedal . It is likely to stay on the bottom and have to throw it out.
• Repeat pressing the clutch to the bottom, opening the drain valve to purge air and closing the clutch to feel normal again.
• Check the brake fluid is at the right level and add more if necessary.

2. Drain a slave cylinder with a vacuum pump.

• Get a manual vacuum pump at your local auto parts
• Raise the vehicle with jack stands to access the drain valve
• Have an assistant sit in the car and press the clutch to the bottom
• Loosen the drain valve and put the vacuum pump
• Pump the brake fluid in a container until bubbly air
• Close the drain valve
• Pull the clutch pedal up, sending brake fluid to the slave cylinder, and try playing with the pedal . If it feels soft, drain more air.
• Check the brake fluid is at the right level and add more if necessary .

3. Drain a slave cylinder with a hose

Get a hose or a thin plastic tube in your home or auto parts store of your pets

Raise the vehicle with a jack stand .

Put one end of the hose into the drain valve and insert the other end into a container half full with new brake fluid .

Have an assistant to press the clutch pedal to the bottom, while you loosen the screw on the slave cylinder . The air will flow into the container making bubbles in the brake fluid, making it impossible to re-enter the slave cylinder.

Tighten the screw of the cylinder and then ask the assistant to release the clutch pedal .

Repeat the process until no more bubbles are formed in the container .

Check the brake fluid is at the right level and add more if necessary .

Reader Question

Hello,

I have a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe that is having problems with the catalytic converter.  I’m looking to get a quote to fix it.  I do have an extended warranty program with Western General that is still in effect but I don’t know if the catalytic converter is covered.  I’m also looking to get a permanent power inverter installed.  I have one of those converters that plugs into the lighter but I’d like to get a permanent one installed.

If the catalytic converter costs too much, I am going to be looking for a replacement SUV, something slightly used – maybe two to three years old with low mileage.  My wife is also looking for a used vehicle, again about two to three years old.

I live in Humble and work in Houston so let me know if this is the type of work you do – how much it will cost and if you warranty your work.  Email me here or give me a call.

Thanks,
Landon

Hi Landon,

Thanks for the email. I sold my brick and mortar repair shop a few years back, although it’s still running strong in the Heights at the corner of 23rd and Yale in the Heights area.  Master Auto Service, my grandfather started in 1937.

Rueben is a good contact person if you want to call and talk to him and get his opinion and a quote.  713-862-6639, you can tell him we emailed. He is a nice guy.

I have NO affiliation with them anymore, but I did a personal walk through and met the new owners and management last month and was impressed with how they are running things.

Rarely do you see a problem with a cat converter these days, so I would be a little skeptical of the diagnosis that the converter is bad.  Possible, but not common.

Meineke Muffler on Shepherd and 11th area is who I used to replace converters, Ask for Ken….if he is still there. Place is a dump, good guys and great prices. He will have a universal converter that is much cheaper than the OEM.

http://www.meineke.com/Center/10.aspx

The permanent power might not be that big of deal, hardest part is usually trying to find a place to hook into and mount that looks ok and not in the way.

Your converter might still be covered under the factory warranty, you might have 100K mile warranty with Hyundai, so I would call and ask.  But before I replaced it and paid out of your pocket I would have Rueben at Master Auto Service check it out to make sure that is the real problem.

Blessings,
Austin Davis