4 Vehicle Exhaust System Safety Tips

A properly functioning car exhaust system is critical toward keeping the environment clean, reducing noise, as well as preventing a deadly build up of carbon monoxide [CO] inside of your car. You can stop problems from occurring if you keep in mind the following four safety tips.

1. Annual inspection. If you own the correct equipment [such as a lift or jacks] you can perform a visual inspection yourself. Things to look for: corrosion, loose mountings, leaking joints, damage to various parts including the catalytic converter, muffler, pipes, and other exhaust components. Many garages and retail establishments offer free exhaust system inspections as well if you prefer to leave it up to a mechanic. Tip: Always check your exhaust system immediately after bottoming out from a pothole or running over road debris. Do not wait for your annual inspection; inspect it right away.

2. Keep windows cracked open. Carbon monoxide can build up in the cabin of your car without warning. You can t see it and by the time you realize its effects it may be too late. A slightly opened window will help gathering poisons to leave your car s interior. This is especially important to do if you are stuck in traffic.

3. Station wagon precautions. If you own a station wagon and you leave the tailgate down while driving, make sure that windows or vents are open.

4. Open up the garage door. Letting your vehicle run inside a closed garage can be deadly. Fumes will quickly accumulate in the garage and spread to the remainder of the house if you have an attached garage. If you must run your car inside of the garage, vent it by opening up the garage door. Always keep the door from the garage to the rest of the house closed when your car is running inside of your garage.

If you determine that your exhaust system does need maintenance, you can do the work yourself and save plenty of money. Top performing exhaust system brands include Bosal Exhaust, Dynamax Exhaust, Gibson Exhaust, Flowmaster Exhaust, Magnaflow Exhaust, Remus Exhaust, as well as others. Selecting the right system for your car can help you reduce noise, increase torque, and free up horsepower. Above all, a well fitted, properly installed system will protect the environment both inside and outside of your vehicle.

About the Author

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts. -

A Quick Thought on Safety

I’ve just returned from a 2-day road trip to Maine, we had had to pick up a customer’s car and drag it back to New York for some serious massaging. The weather wasn’t great, and the lobster wasn’t much better. It seems 99% of the seafood shacks along HWY 1 close at the end of the summer vacation season. Thankfully, Bob’s Clam Shack is open year round, so we stopped once on the way up and again on the way down for a basket of fried. It was a rainy, cool drive. We were cruising down 495 when out of nowhere appeared a stranded motorist parked on the side of the road. It was a flat tire. The car was black, the air was foggy, and I had to make a less-than-comfortable swerve to avoid drenching the poor guy with funky road water, or worse if he suddenly leaned outward. My point is this: I know the last thing you may be thinking about as you limp to the emergency lane is the convenience of other drivers, but it only takes one idiot to make your day that much worse. If you’re pulling over to change a tire, steer as far into the emergency lane as possible, and use your emergency flashers so other drivers can give you a wide berth. It’s well worth the effort.

A Quick Thought on Safety originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 23:12:01.

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Need an Oil Change … and a Manicure?

Enterprising shop owners are always looking for ways to attract and keep new customers. These efforts usually amount to coupons or free gourmet coffee in the waiting room. From time to time, however, we find shop owners who have gone the extra mile, tapping the inner folds of their minds to come up with a truly novel idea. Elle Auto Care in Calgary has done their part to revolutionize the people part of auto service. Their waiting room is its own experience, with manicure and mini-spa services, WiFi, leather furniture, an indoor children’s zone and reportedly one of the nicest bathrooms ever to grace an auto shop. And yes, they have gourmet coffee. I can’t tell you whether it’ll fly, but if a shop is this focused on the people side of things, chances are they will stand behind their work, too.

_{Read more about Elle Auto Care in the Montreal Gazette}.

Need an Oil Change … and a Manicure? originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 21:04:32.

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Pay to Play Scenario Busted
This happens to repair shops more often than any of us would like to imagine. It’s hard enough being a small, independent shop, but insurance adjusters often find a way to make it even worse. Some (but not all, of course!) adjusters take kickbacks in the form of cash or gift cards in trade for sending business in one shop’s direction. We don’t do insurance work, but my friends who do have spoken of this “pay to play” game often. It’s a horrible practice that takes the emphasis away from important things like quality of work. If this type of scenario is in play, the most honest shop in the area is the one that loses. In the end, the real loser is you, the customer. Bummer. For an example, check out the story of good samaritan Ralph Galluzzi from Bison Plate Glass in Buffalo, New York. He was fed up and blew the whistle to the state. If you ever need glass in Buffalo, I think you should reward Ralph Galluzzi for risking his business and get Bison Plate Glass to repair your vehicle, even if the insurance adjuster tries to send you someplace else.

Pay to Play Scenario Busted originally appeared on About.com Auto Repair on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 09:31:05.

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