Mazda teases SEMA-bound CX-5s

Mazda is getting into the SEMA Show spirit by teasing us with a trio of concepts based on the 2013 CX-5, all of which were hatched at the automaker's design studio in Irvine, California. Looking at the renderings, there is nothing over-the-top about any of these crossovers, but what we do see here is our long-awaited first look at a diesel-powered CX-5.

The CX-5 Dempsey uses Mazda's new Skyactiv-D diesel engine paired with all-wheel drive. As for the show aspect of this concept, it is obviously named after actor Patrick Dempsey who not only races a Mazda RX-8 in Grand-Am, but apparently he is also an avid cyclist. Other than the contrasting black, red and grey paint scheme, this CX-5 is also equipped with a roof-top cargo carrier and a bike rack to carry a similar Specialized Bicycle S-Work Tarmac racing bicycle that helped Russian Olympian Alexander Vinokourov win the gold medal at the London Summer Olympics.

As far as paint jobs go, the CX-5 180 show car is probably the best of the bunch with a unique look consisting of what seem to be colors and designs that actually make up topographical maps of Big Bear Lake and Point Dume State Beach located in Southern California. Finally, the CX-5 Urban goes for more of the dark and sinister look that is made up various triangular shapes that end up looking like some sort of futuristic digital camouflage.

While we only have these renderings to go off of currently, we'll get a better look at all three Mazdas very soon as the 2012 SEMA Show kicks off later today.

Source: Mazda News

Monday Maintenance Tip: What's Your Engine Oil Telling You?

Analyzing the oil in your car is like sending a sample of your blood to the lab — it reveals an astonishing amount of information about the inner workings of your engine without invasive surgery. By reading the results of the analysis, you can fine-tune the intervals between oil changes and discover problems — such as a leaking head gasket — before they cause more expensive damage.

You might even consider analyzing the oil from a car you are considering buying. Currently this is popular with airplane, boat and heavy equipment buyers, but at least one company may soon offer this as an option for used car shoppers as well.

Test-Driving Oil Analysis

We sent two samples of engine oil to Blackstone Laboratories in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to see what we could learn about a 2000 Mitsubishi Galant with 80,000 miles on its four-cylinder engine. The first sample was oil that had been used for 3,000 miles. The second sample was taken right after an oil change at a Jiffy Lube.

The 3,000-mile oil still had plenty of life left in it, according to the lab results. Blackstone recommended we try increasing the oil change interval to 5,000 miles and send another sample for analysis at that point. Furthermore, the report said the wear metals in the oil were within normal levels, meaning that the engine was not in immediate danger of breaking down. By detecting specific wear metals in the oil, experts can tell which engine parts might be in danger of malfunctioning.

Since the purpose of oil is to lubricate, clean and cool the engine, a TBN (total base number) is used to measure the deterioration of the oil by assigning a number that is usually between 0 and 8. The TBN of the 3,000-mile oil was 3.7. The Jiffy Lube oil was 7.6 indicating it had been barely used.

"Even if the TBN is 1, it doesn't mean the oil isn't doing its job," said Ryan Stark, president of Blackstone Laboratories. "But it does reveal the rate at which the additives are being used up."

Oil Analysis, a Growing Business

Stark said that his company, which employs six analysts, gets about 20 new customers a day and does between 40,000 and 50,000 reports per year. A single analysis costs $22.50 but discounts are available for multiple analyses. Blackstone can also analyze transmission fluid and other engine fluids to look for possible problems.

Many other laboratories offer engine oil analysis, but Blackstone's reports are user-friendly, and the turnaround is quick. Within days of our mailing in two 4-ounce samples, the results were e-mailed to us.

"We've had customers who were changing their oil every 3,000 miles and now they've gone to every 10,000 miles because of our reports," said Stark. "But we're conservative. If the oil looks good at 3,000 miles we recommend increasing the frequency by 2,000 miles and taking another look at it."

A Used-Car Buying Tool?

A Long Beach, California, company that provides pre-purchase inspections for private parties is breaking new ground by planning to offer engine oil analysis to private-party used car buyers.

"With an oil sample test, which essentially is the DNA of a car's engine and transmission, we can detect any excessive conditions that can lead to serious mechanical problems down the road," said Alliance Inspection Management Vice President of Sales Eric Widmer.

If the oil sample result meets industry standards, a limited warranty will be offered to the buyer. Edmer said this was the first time an inspection service has used this method to qualify a buyer for a warranty. It would, Edmer points out, provide a level of confidence for used-car buyers shopping for a reliable car.

Stark said that some of Blackstone's customers have sent samples from cars they were considering buying but it's far more common practice with buyers of airplanes, boats, motorcycles or even jet skis.

How To Take an Engine Oil Sample

We took the Mitsubishi samples by sliding under the car, unscrewing the oil filter and draining the oil into a glass jar. The jar was sealed securely, wrapped in padding and Fed Exed to Blackstone.

Taking a sample in this manner is messy, and you can burn your hand on the hot oil filter. Instead, you'll want to use a vacuum pump that takes a sample through the dipstick opening. Such a pump is available from Blackstone or other oil analysis labs.

Oil Analysis for Do-It-Yourselfers

Car owners who enjoy changing their own oil will find oil analysis an inexpensive test and easy to perform as part of engine maintenance. It helps consumers tailor their oil change intervals and experiment with the benefits of different oils such as synthetic blends. Furthermore, some people might try it as a used car shopping tool next time they are looking for a reliable car.

Then again, there is the pure love of knowledge that such a test provides. For a gearhead, that's an end in itself. "For years and years no one knew when to change the oil, so they went with three months and 3,000 miles," Stark said. "Now, we can provide a service that's a good value to people so they really know what's best for their engine."

Source: Edmunds

Advanced Safety Technologies 'i-ACTIVSENSE' Introduction Movie

Car Tip of the Week: Confessions of a Parking Valet

It can be nerve-wracking handing your car keys to a total stranger at a valet station. You don't know if they're responsible drivers, what their definition of "gentle" is, or often where your car is headed. If all parking valets were trustworthy, there wouldn't be a need for the "valet key" that prevents one from opening the trunk and glovebox.

When we decided to delve into the secret life of valet parking attendants, we expected some stories about concealed door dings, petty theft or occasional hijinks behind the wheel. But we had no idea the extent to which some valets routinely take liberties with their customers' property.

Our "confessor" (let's call him Mark) has worked both at upscale hotels and small valet parking companies and has seen (and done) his share of mischief. He shares his experience with us, no holds barred. Learning how valets think and how some of them treat your property might make you reconsider self-parking.

Who's Parking Your Car?

According to Mark, most parking valets fall into three general categories. The first is student types seeking flexible hours and a job that doesn't require much training. The second group is often working nights after another job, and are often the most dedicated employees. The third and smallest group are folks often unable to hold down any other work, and they're the most prone to hitting poles in parking lots, losing keys and disrespecting customers.

"There's a big difference between valet parking companies in terms of the quality of people they hire to park cars," Mark explains. "One company I worked for tested applicants' reading and basic math, required a copy of your seven-year driving record and demanded a background and credit check. I guess they figure the ones with really bad credit would be more apt to steal from customers. Another company wanted a high school diploma — that's it. They didn't even read my application before offering me a shift."

Our confessor pointed out that few driving skills are required, and some companies employ people who don't have a driver license. "Valet companies might ask if you drive a stick when they hire you, but if you don't, you can just let other valets handle those cars. Some valets aren't as friendly to stick-shift cars as they should be, especially high-end cars like Porsches and BMWs. They might drop the clutch or drive at 50 miles per hour in 2nd gear. Nothing that's going to destroy the car, but it's unnecessary abuse. Most valets don't understand the intricacies of driving performance cars either. They don't realize how low to the ground they are and sometimes run over the concrete parking stops, scraping up the car."

It's All About the Tips

Valet parking is a service job, much like being a server at a restaurant. Pay is based largely on tips and most valets will usually do their best to earn a good one. "Valets always find out about a good tipper and make sure to take good care of that customer. My company pools all the tips, so there's no competition for the 'best' customers. But in smaller operations, if you're given a tip, you just pocket it."

Many assume that the people with the nicest cars will leave the biggest tips, but that's not always the case. "I drive all sorts of luxury cars for people who tip very little or not at all. The customers who have experience working crappy jobs are the ones who have more empathy and tend to tip better. A lot of people who are 'forced' to valet by the hotel assume they don't have to tip. Maybe they think the hotel is paying the valets better than they are, but we're making minimum wage plus tips."

How much to tip? A survey of so-called "tipping guides" indicates a wide range, anything from $1 to $10 depending on the situation. An informal poll of Edmunds editors elicited a similarly wide array of answers — anywhere from "nothing" to $10 or more at a hotel, but averaged $2-$3, paid when retrieving the vehicle.

Parking Pitfalls

"There are the usual mistakes like dings or scrapes that are just accidents," Mark explains. "Park enough cars and it's bound to happen, especially on really busy days." The most common valet mishap is misplacing keys, which has various origins. "If a lazy valet doesn't put a ticket on the customer's keychain, or the key is incorrectly placed on the valet board, or the ticket gets ripped off or the parking location is written down incorrectly, or you, the customer, lose your valet ticket, then we have no idea which car is yours."

A valet's favorite scenario? "Let's say you've given us a valet key to a car and it doesn't have a remote door unlock on the fob. But the valet didn't mark down the right parking stall on the valet ticket. So when you come to pick up your car, we don't know where it is. We don't have a remote that can sound the horn either, so we have to run up and down all the rows, trying the key in every car of that brand."

The oddest mix-up? "The exact same rental cars got swapped between two customers. No one noticed until one of them tried to return it to Hertz. In that case, it took us two days to sort it out."

What Annoys Valets Most

It would seem like common sense to avoid angering someone with the keys to your car. If you really want to annoy a valet (at your own risk), keep asking for your car to be brought around over and over again to get something out of it. "If you tell us everything you want from the car the first time, we'll bring it all back for you. It saves everyone time that way."

Another gripe is forgetting to explain a car's quirks, such as complex security systems or aftermarket modifications — including vertically opening gullwing doors. "When one of the valets pulled the door open [on a 2005 Mustang convertible], we heard a horrible crunching noise and the door wouldn't move. What the owner had neglected to tell anyone was that he had a 'Lambo' door conversion kit on the car, and that the door didn't open as normal."

A favorite pet peeve of many valets is cars that reflect poor personal hygiene — they may smell, have trash everywhere or look like they've never seen the inside of a car wash. "When you're afraid of contracting a disease by sitting in the seat, it's generally a bad sign."

The worst is forgetting to leave the keys with the valet on a busy day, far easier to do these days with so many "keyless" ignitions. "We can't move the car, and it clogs the driveway while we have to track you down somewhere."

Revenge of the Valet...or Just for Fun

If you're particularly rude, aggravating or have stiffed on a tip in the past, there are a number of things the valet staff might do in response. Notably, most valets won't show annoyance or anger the customer. "First and easiest, we'll take a long time to bring your car up, and we're not going to take the time to put your seat and mirrors back the way they were. But I have known valets who lower tire pressures, change climate and radio settings, or intentionally ding the door or scrape paint in a place where it's not easily noticed. There's nothing better than getting your revenge and getting them to tip you, too."

When you're not around to see it, there's a lot valets do:

• Blast the stereo and change the radio stations: "Any time that I have a car with a good stereo in it, I take an extra minute to check out the sound quality. I also change the satellite radio station, but I almost always change it back."
• Speed in a parking structure or on the street while driving to a lot: "We once had a running contest going to see who could get the fastest top speed inside the hotel parking structure. I set the record with a 55-mph run in a Porsche 996 GT2."
• Rev the engines of performance cars: "I can't help revving up the engines of the cool cars I get to park. My favorite was a Lamborghini Gallardo. I drove it straight to the top floor and called all of my friends in my phonebook. I said, 'Guess what I'm driving!' then stuck the phone out the window and revved the engine. Heck, I even called my parents and did that."
• Drift: "After our parking garage is cleaned, we have to re-park all of the cars back in the structure. Of course, having an empty, wet parking structure just begs for a little hoonage. I take every rear-wheel-drive rental car and find out how well they drift going up the structure. Surprisingly, the Chrysler Crossfire does a great job. Gotta love rental cars; they take the most abuse."
• Go through the customer's property: "Though I personally never rifled through anyone's belongings, I hear plenty of, 'You should have seen what I found in this person's car' while we're standing around waiting for cars to pull in."

With all these shenanigans happening with your car, is the management aware? "Our manager doesn't know about most of this stuff," Mark admits, "but he helps cover up our mistakes sometimes. He always keeps a container of rubbing compound and wax in the office in case there's a scrape. We'll clean and buff the affected areas and pray the customers don't notice. Most of the time, they don't. I have seen managers rub out many small scrapes and never report the incident."

Advice for Customers

Remember, you are giving one of the most expensive things you own to a complete stranger. You would be surprised how far a smile, a good attitude and even a little pleasant small talk will get you. If you're pleasant and tip, most valets will go way beyond the call of duty. Here's what to keep in mind, according to Mark:

• Realize that it's not all about you: "We're dealing with many, sometimes hundreds, of customers a day. Time is money for us, too."
• Don't leave valuables or anything illegal in your car: "Not if you want them to be there when you get back. We've found drugs, adult-only items, even guns." Smaller items are more likely to be taken.
• Clean the interior as well as the exterior once in awhile: "And for God's sake, use a trash bag."
• If your car is damaged or anything is missing, tell the valet manager and get a copy of the incident report and the contact information of their insurance company. Don't accept it if he asserts that the "release of liability" language on your ticket absolves them — it won't stand up in court.
• Valets at a hotel usually work for a contracted company, so if you have any problems with their service, notify hotel management. They can help resolve disputes in your favor.
• Be wary in major cities where valets must park cars on the street. If a valet parks illegally or forgets to feed the meter, the customer can get stuck with the ticket.
• Tip a little when you drop off the car, especially at a hotel, and your car will get better treatment: "The valets will be more likely to 'keep it close' in the hope that you're a good tipper and that you'll reward them for bringing up your car quickly."
• Evening shifts are the roughest for hotel valets: "We work our butts off to park all the cars of the people checking in and barely make any tips. The morning shift makes big tips the next day when people get their cars to go places or check out of the hotel."
• Reward a valet for working hard. "If it's raining and he appears with an umbrella, or he towels down your seat to keep you dry, he deserves a bigger tip. But don't worry about not giving a tip if you don't like the service."
• You get what you give: "Your car will usually get the same treatment that you give us, for better or for worse."

There are plenty of honest, hard-working parking valets out there who want nothing more than to serve their customers and earn a living. So when you drop your car off, it's a good idea to look your valet in the eye and acknowledge that he's a person, too. If not for that reason, then at least to improve the odds of getting your car back exactly as you left it.

Source: Edmunds

Congratulations to Russell & Smith Mazda for being chosen as a "Top Dealership for Outstanding Customer Service" by WomenCertified!

Congratulations to the entire Russell & Smith team for being selected for the 2012 WomenCertified Top Dealerships for Outstanding Customer Experience List. Great job everyone!

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Monday Maintenance Tip: When Should You Change Your Oil?

If you are one of the many people who let a windshield reminder sticker govern when they get an oil change, here's our advice to you: Drop that habit. Instead, follow the automaker's recommended service intervals. In many modern cars, your best bet is to rely on the vehicle's oil life monitoring system to let you know when it's time for a change.

Let the Manual Guide You
Oil change information is in the maintenance chapter of your owner's manual. If for some reason you've misplaced your owner's manual, many automakers have put their manuals online. You can also search our Edmunds Maintenance Schedules. We have an extensive maintenance database on vehicles dating back to l980.

In many instances, you'll find that the owner's manual lists two service schedules. These are based on "normal" and "severe" or "special" driving conditions. Read the descriptions carefully to see which schedule reflects how you drive. In our experience, the vast majority of people fall into the normal schedule.

Trust Your Oil Life Monitor
In recent years, a number of automakers have installed oil life monitors of varying complexity in their vehicles. The more basic versions are more maintenance minders than actual systems. They're based on mileage, and switch on a maintenance light when the vehicle hits a predetermined mileage range.

The more advanced oil life monitors, on the other hand, constantly take information from numerous sensors throughout the vehicle and then use a complex algorithm to predict the life of your oil. Based on your driving conditions and habits, the frequency of your oil changes can vary.

These systems take the guesswork out of knowing when your next service is due. Just drive as you normally would and wait until the maintenance light comes on. You'll be surprised to see how far a vehicle can go between oil changes. The hardest part is not letting your preconceived notions of oil change intervals second-guess the monitor.

It's also important to note that these systems are calibrated to work with the factory-recommended oil. They aren't sophisticated enough to recognize that you've upgraded to another blend, so save your money and stick to the factory fill.

Use the Time Estimate
If you have a weekend car or put very low miles on your vehicle, you'll have to change your maintenance strategy a bit. Robert Sutherland, principal scientist at Pennzoil Passenger Car Engine Lubricants, says that over time, oil becomes contaminated by gases that blow by the pistons, and the longer the oil sits with that contamination, the more it degrades.

Whether an automaker uses an oil life monitor or set mileage intervals, all of them also prescribe a maximum time frame for an oil change. For example, the 2010 Toyota Prius has a recommended oil interval of one year or 10,000 miles — whichever comes first. Since some oil life monitors are more sophisticated than others, the vehicles that employ them will have different time recommendations. You'll also find this information in your owner's manual.

Get an Oil Analysis
The issue of what constitutes "normal" versus "severe" driving has long been a point of contention among vehicle owners, mechanics and dealership service departments. All have their own motivations for their recommendations. But the best way to determine how you drive your vehicle is to get your oil analyzed.

An oil analysis will tell you the condition of your oil, and it also can reveal any problems that your engine may be experiencing. Some sample tests can show traces of fuel and coolant in the engine oil, which are early signs of engine problems. When you get your results back from the lab, you'll also get a recommendation on how much further you can go between oil changes.

Extended-Life Oils: It's Safe To Switch
Many oil companies are releasing extended-life oils that are guaranteed for the specific mileage listed on the bottle. Mobil's most advanced fully synthetic product, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, for instance, is guaranteed for 15,000 miles. The company recommends it for vehicles that are beyond their warranty period. This is an important point because many automakers will void your warranty if you do not follow their recommended service intervals.

Owners who change their oil themselves and are looking to extend the time between oil changes can safely switch to a 15,000-mile oil and make a lot fewer trips to the mechanic. They also should switch to a high-mileage oil filter, since the factory filter wasn't designed for extended intervals.

By going to an extended-life product, older vehicles, such as a 1998 Ford Mustang — which calls for oil changes every 5,000 miles — could cut back from three changes per year to just one.

Source: Edmunds

2013 Mazda CX-9 to Make its Debut at the 2012 Sydney Motor Show

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Mazda6 Celebrity Challenge announcement for the 2013 Formula 1™ Australian Grand Prix

Introduction to the all-new Mazda6

Car Tip of the Week: How to Share the Road with Truckers

Everybody has a horror story to tell about an encounter they've had with an 18-wheeler on the Interstate, and how they were nearly killed by the inattentiveness of the truck driver. News programs like Dateline NBC and 60 Minutes feed this fear with selectively edited stories regarding truck safety. But what nobody seems to consider is that they themselves may have caused the problem because of ignorance about what is involved in driving a truck, or by engaging in righteous driving behavior that did nothing but endanger their own lives and those of the people they care most about.

Personally, we've seen rude truckers hog the road, and we've seen dimwitted drivers set themselves up for what could be a very painful, if not deadly, lesson. Furthermore, not all trucks traveling the nation's highways are properly maintained, due to a lack of finances or pure laziness. But for most truck drivers, who are paid by the mile and are held responsible for damaged goods, their lives and livelihoods depend on driving a well-maintained truck carefully, and getting freight to its destination on time.

Tractor trailer trucks are responsible for carrying nearly 30 percent of all the cargo shipped in the United States. Technology and improved roadways have allowed the use of trucks for shipping to increase steadily since the 1920s, resulting in larger vehicles and heavier loads. Yet, traffic fatalities involving trucks have steadily declined during the past 50 years, except for a small spike upward in the early 1980s right after the trucking industry was deregulated. Fatalities due to accidents involving semi trucks total 5,000 annually on average, with the vast majority of those fatalities suffered by occupants of passenger vehicles that collided with a truck. As motorists who must share the road with semi trucks, we can do our part to help reduce this number even further if we simply take the time to follow a few simple driving rules and try to understand how difficult it is to maneuver a tractor-trailer in traffic.

We asked Michael Taylor, transportation special programs developer for the Tractor Trailer Training Program at Triton College in River Grove, Ill., what the top five pet peeves truckers had with fellow motorists were. Here is his list:

1) Riding in a trucker's blind spots. Trucks have large blind spots to the right and rear of the vehicle. Smaller blind spots exist on the right front corner and mid-left side of the truck. The worst thing a driver can do is chug along in the trucker's blind spot, where he cannot be seen. If you're going to pass a truck, do it and get it over with. Don't sit alongside with the cruise control set 1 mph faster than the truck is traveling.

2) Cut-offs. Don't try to sneak into a small gap in traffic ahead of a truck. Don't get in front of a truck and then brake to make a turn. Trucks take as much as three times the distance to stop as the average passenger car, and you're only risking your own life by cutting a truck off and then slowing down in front of it.

3) Impatience while reversing. Motorists need to understand that it takes time and concentration to back a 48-foot trailer up without hitting anything. Sometimes a truck driver needs to make several attempts to reverse into tight quarters. Keep your cool and let the trucker do her job.

4) Don't play policeman. Don't try to make a truck driver conform to a bureaucrat's idea of what is right and wrong on the highway. As an example, Taylor cited the way truck drivers handle hilly terrain on the highway. A fully loaded truck slows way down going up a hill. On the way down the other side of the hill, a fully loaded truck gathers speed quickly. Truckers like to use that speed to help the truck up the next hill. Do not sit in the passing lane going the speed limit. Let the truck driver pass, and let the Highway Patrol worry about citing the trucker for breaking the law.

5) No assistance in lane changes or merges. It's not easy to get a 22-foot tractor and 48-foot trailer into traffic easily. If a trucker has his turn signal blinking, leave room for the truck to merge or change lanes. Indicate your willingness to allow the truck in by flashing your lights.

According to "Sharing the Road," a booklet distributed by John Deere Transportation Insurance, the three most common types of accidents involving heavy trucks involve the following:

1) Crashes caused by the truck's inability to stop in time.2) Crashes caused by a motorist trying to pass a truck on the right while the truck is making a right-hand turn. Also known as the right turn squeeze.3) Crashes caused by a motorist riding in the trucker's blind spots. Use the following rule of thumb: If you cannot see the truck driver in his mirrors, he probably cannot see you.

By taking simple common-sense steps to protect yourself and your family when driving near large trucks, traffic fatalities will continue to drop. Over the years, the trucking industry has improved the quality of truck drivers by making it more difficult to qualify for and keep a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). Mandatory drug testing has also been instituted. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) published the following data in 2008. The intoxication rate for drivers involved in fatal accidents was:

27% for motorcycle riders 23% for light truck drivers (pickups and SUVs, that is) 23% for passenger car drivers 1% for truck drivers

Still, more work must be done to combat tightly scheduled deliveries, overbearing stacks of paperwork and driver fatigue caused by federal regulations that work against the human body's natural circadian rhythm.

After meeting with truck driving instructors at Triton College, with representatives from the Illinois Transportation Association and learning what it takes to pilot a tractor-trailer by taking the wheel myself, we joined Taylor for a ride in a brand-new empty tanker truck.

We covered suburban roads during a half-hour loop just to the southeastern side of O'Hare airport. During our 30-minute ride, two motorists turned left across traffic directly in front of the truck. One young woman in a Toyota Celica crossed no more than 50 feet in front of us as she zoomed onto a side street. An older couple in a Dodge Grand Caravan turned in front of our International tractor, and incredibly, slowed so they wouldn't scrape the van on a steep driveway apron to a convenience store. A dude in a Camaro RS blasted by on the left, cut in front of the truck and stopped at a red light we were approaching. When the light turned green, he turned right.

These are the kinds of driving habits that we must break for truck-related accident rates to drop even lower. After a day at truck driving school, we left Chicago for Denver in a Subaru Outback. During that evening and the next day traveling I-80 and I-76, we were keenly aware of the needs of the truckers with whom we shared the road. We behaved more courteously toward truck drivers and fellow motorists than usual, and exercised more patience. We doubt very much that by driving more defensively and less aggressively we arrived in Denver any sooner than we would have had we not let that Kenworth into our lane back in Iowa or had we tried to beat that Freightliner to the construction zone near Lincoln, Neb. We do feel, however, that our trip was a safer one, that we had done our part to make highway travel better. Now it's time to do yours.

Source: Edmunds.com

Mazda SKYACTIV Technology: i-ELOOP

Monday Maintenance Tip: Fix bad weatherstripping immediately

If your weatherstripping is letting rainwater leak into the interior of your car, take a look at it and decide if you can repair it or if it needs to be replaced. Small leaks can be handled with brush-on seam sealers. Resecure loose sections, not otherwise damaged, with trim adhesive. Torn sections may be repaired with special caulking available at auto parts stores. You may also be able to extend the life of worn-but-intact sections by inserting foam rods, available at automotive stores, into the hollow section of the weatherstripping. If you decide to replace entire sections of gasket, don’t simply buy generic stuff such as you’d use around the house. Buy a product that matches your car’s original weatherstripping — it’s available in a wide variety of profiles from dealerships and automotive mail-order catalogues.

Source: Reader's Digest

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