The Daily Dispatch
Car Care ’11
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
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Filling station 411: things you may not know about gas stations For motorists, visits to a local gas station are a necessity. Fortunately for many, the prevalence of gas stations makes getting a good deal possible, right? Not exactly ... and there are some other things that gas stations don’t tell us. • Brand doesn’t necessarily matter. Most gas stations are supplied by oil companies that share the same fuel pipeline. The only difference in brands may be a quart of detergent added to a truck filled with thousands of gallons of gasoline. Some brands advertise that they have sophisticated additives to keep engine performance at its peak. All gasoline providers have detergents added to their gasoline to
Updated tire tread test It used to be that to check tire tread wear, a driver inserted a penny into the tread gap. If you couldn’t see the top of Lincoln’s head, the tire tread was adequate — or more than 1/16 of an inch. However, today it is recommended that a quarter be used for the test, and Lincoln has been swapped out for Washington. This is to allow for less time between tire changes and a safer amount of tire tread. If the top of Washington’s head can be seen, that means there is 1/8 of an inch of tread left and ample time to get those tires replaced.
help prevent fuel injectors from clogging. It’s a requirement by the U.S. government enacted in 1994. So, in terms of gasoline quality, it really doesn’t matter if a driver fills up at a locally owned filling station or a brand name vendor. • Skip paying with debit cards. When a gas station employee swipes a debit card in advance of starting the pump, the company doesn’t know how much gas will be purchased, so it reserves a rounded-off amount. While a person may only be filling up $20, the debit card may set aside $30 to $100 to be safe. It’s only until the gas station sends over their bulk transac-
tions a few days later that all is reconciled. With an unknown amount of money reserved, it’s easy for an individual to bounce checks or deplete funds unknowingly from his or her checking account. • Gas stations don’t make more when prices go up. A number of gas purchases are made with credit cards. So when gas prices rise, gas stations have to pay a higher fee to credit card companies, which charge for the right to accept credit at a station. Some stations will charge a premium for gas that is paid for with credit rather than cash. Others will not in an effort to remain competitive. • Some pumps are in-
accurate. Older pumps or those in disrepair may not pump gas accurately. That means a driver could start paying for gas before the fuel has entered the car, or the volume measurements may be incorrect. Inspectors that check for accuracy are often few and far between. • Fuel station credit cards might not be a bargain. Just like many department store credit cards, interest rates on gas cards tend to be higher than the average credit card, with fewer perks to boot. • Static electricity can be dangerous at the pump. The Petroleum Equipment Institute
learned that static electricity can ignite gasoline vapors at the pump. Once a person starts fueling a car, he or she should not reenter the vehicle and then get back out and continue fueling. Static electricity generated from the car’s interior could travel from the person’s hand to the pump and cause a small, but dangerous spark. • Gasoline was once a waste product. In the early 1900s, the primary goal of oil companies was to produce kerosene to light lamps. Gasoline was a by-product of kerosene production. Eventually, oil companies discovered that this “waste” could be used to affording fuel
Some car washing do’s and don’ts Car enthusiasts will tell you that one of the best ways to maintain that new car look is to keep up with a frequent washing schedule. Removing road grime and other plagues of automotive paint on a routine basis keeps a car looking its best. There are some rules of the road when maintaining the exterior of a vehicle to ensure the finish remains in pristine condition. Keep in mind these dos and don’ts: • Do use products specifically designed for automobiles. Household cleansers may be good at removing dirt, but they may also strip off the protective wax on the car.
• Don’t wash the car while it is hot, after it’s been sitting out in the sun a while or directly after it’s been driven. The warmth can cause the water and soap to dry faster, leaving unsightly deposits. • Do wash off dead insects, road salt, mud, etc., as soon as possible. Otherwise these substances may stick to the paint and cause erosion. • Don’t assume the rain will clean the car. In areas with acid rain, it’s actually essential to rinse a vehicle off after it rains to prevent damage. • Do move the sponge lengthwise along the vehicle. Swirling the sponge may cause tiny scratches.
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automobiles. In 1919, gasoline prices were 30 cents a gallon. • Boycotting one brand will not make all the other prices go down. During a boycott, prices at the non-boycotted stations will likely rise due to the temporarily limited supply and increased demand. The only way to effectively reduce gas prices is to significantly reduce demand across the board. The need for gasoline and, consequently, filling stations, will continue until electric cars or additional technology surpasses gasoline engines. Until that day, consumers can be smart about gas purchases by knowing the facts.