Quarter test for tire wear!

For decades the tire industry has taught drivers to use the so-called Penny Test as a simple way to tell when tires were worn out. But experts at
The Tire Rack** say that popular lesson is outdated, compromises safety, and
should give way to the Quarter Test.

In the old Penny Test, seeing the top of Lincoln's head while holding a penny upside down in a tire tread groove indicated a tread depth of2/32-inch (1.6mm) or less, and that the tire needed replacing.

"The Penny Test was an indirect result

of tire warranties," explained
John Rastetter, director of tire information

at The Tire Rack. "It is to
that depth (2/32") that most warranties remain

valid, encouraging drivers
to drive longer on tires that don't provide enough

wet-weather traction."
Tire Rack tests showed that doubling the tread

depth at which warranties
are voided will improve safety by cutting braking

distances and improving
traction in the wet. "We know these changes won't

happen overnight so we're
encouraging drivers to pay more attention to their

tires now," he said.
Wet/Snowy roads + Worn tires = A real problem.

How to properly check tire tread depth can be

found at


http://www.tirerack.com/treaddepth


** Parts of article from The Tire Rack website

Is parking on a hill bad for your tires?

I have heard that parking on a hill is bad for your tires and causes undue stress on them and results in premature tire wear. Is this so?

No, tires get far more wear on exit ramps at highway speeds then when your not moving. Parking on a hill puts stress on another part of the car, called the parking pawl. This is a part inside the automatic transmission that makes the car lock when you put the selector in park. However, putting it into park without first setting the parking brake will make it hard to shift back into gear. If you don't use the parking brake on a hill, the car will lurch back slightly when you take your foot off the brake and this lurch is hard on the transmission, not the tires!

When do you need to use premium gasoline?

How do I know if my car needs premium gasoline? My owners manual says premium recommended!

According to Pat Goss from "Motorweek TV" if the owners manual says premium fuel recommended it is an 87 fuel octane car. If the owners manual says premium fuel required you have to use 91 octane or higher.

Gm Dexcool settlement time is running out!

General Motors has reached settlement in a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged defects in Dex-Cool, the GM developed coolant used in GM vehicles since the mid-1990’s. Under the terms of the settlement, those who owned certain V-6 powered GM vehicles may be eligible for payments as large as $800 each.

The settlement applies to as many as 35 million customers and is considered one of the largest products liability lawsuits against any automaker. Dex-Cool was blamed for cooling system failures, including leaks and clogged radiators.



Under the provisions of the settlement, only those who have paid for Dex-Cool related repairs will receive payments. The amount to be paid will depend on the age of the vehicle at the time of repairs, with the largest sums paid to those whose vehicles were closest to new in age at the time of the repairs. Those who made multiple repairs will be able to claim multiple payments.
The settlement applies only to those who purchased GM vehicles with 3.1, 3.4. 3.8, and 4.3 liter V-6 engines within 7 years and 150,000 miles of new.

General Motors has previously claimed that Dex-Cool, the first of the organic acid technology based coolants (OAT) used by a major auto manufacturer, was not responsible for the various problems attributed to it by some vehicle owners. It has taken the position that problems attributed to Dex-Cool were the result of improper vehicle maintenance by owners are commingling Dex-Cool with non OAT coolants.

Time is running out. If you wish to submit your claim by mail, you must mail the above documents, postmarked no later than October 27, 2008. For more info call 1-866-245-4291
or visit http://www.dexcoolsettlement.com/faq.php3#Q7 which has a listing of specific vehicles(year model)that are covered.