In this Edition:
DIY
Winter Survival Kit
Referral Program
Mechanic Notes and Jokes
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DIY (Do It Yourself)
There was a time, in the not so distant past, that nearly everyone knew how to change a tire, change their own oil and perform a “tune up” on their vehicles. But then a great number of people also knew how to build and repair a radio or a television. Times have changed! For a few years I had the hobby of building computers and was able to assemble the components to make a reliable, useful tool, and was able to troubleshoot most of the hardware issues. Saving money on the computers I wanted. It only took a short time, however, until the changing technology and more complex software made my abilities with personal computers obsolete.
Today there is a resurgence of people that “do it yourself” (DIY), from minor home repairs and auto maintenance to complete remodeling and automotive diagnostics. With many merdandisers capitalizing on the “savings” aspect of DIY, offering the tools to “effortlessly” hammer and cut or install and repair, it all sounds easy. But have you ever started one of these projects just to find that you don’t have the exact right tool or the exact right “know how” to be able to finish the job like it should be done? Whether it is a pipe joint that does not quite fit, a board that you cut three times and is still too short, or the third part you purchased and the warning light still comes back on. The project suddenly isn’t going to be as easy or inexpensive as originally thought. Still, some things are seemingly so simple, how hard could it be? Anybody can replace a door knob! Any idiot can change oil and filter! What can go wrong?
I am reminded of a time when I decided to step outside my comfort zone and tackle a couple of home repairs. I had a toilet that was running and I thought was getting wet around the base and I wanted to get rid of that porcelain kitchen sink. A trip to the home improvement center and I was ready. Armed with a wax ring, valve kit, a new stainless steel sink and a brand new faucet wrench, I started in. The first problem I encountered was that there were no shut off valves installed and I had to turn off water to the whole house! After destroying and replacing the supply line to the toilet and trashing two seal kits, I fearfully moved on to the sink. The problem there was it had a disposal installed, an old disposal. And the drain pipes were so thin that any attempt to remove them and they disintegrated.
After having to buy a new disposal because the parts are not available for the old one to make it fit the new sink, a half dozen trips to the hardware store and spending the entire weekend without running water, I did manage to get the jobs completed that would have taken a professional plumber a couple of hours start to finish. I have to ask myself, “Did I really save anything?” Certainly not time. If you figure in all the trips to the hardware store, I doubt I saved any money. What I did get for the frustration and blood letting was the satisfaction of having defeated the beast.
Admittedly, changing oil on most cars is not all that complicated. Unless you miss the drain pan, the oil filter won’t turn off or the drain plug started crooked. Now you have a new beast. Now there is oil all over the floor, the oil filter is crushed and dripping oil and the threads on the drain plug are askew. Sure! A couple rolls of paper towels, a trip to the parts store for a new drain plug and a special tool to remove the crushed filter and you can finish the job. Now what to do with the old oil? A couple milk jugs should handle that. Now where to put them? Where is the savings?
Just for fun, I looked up the retail price of oil and a common oil filter for comparison. The filter costs around $6.50, the oil runs $3.74 per quart times 5(even if your car only takes 4 ½ quarts, you have to purchase 5) equals $18.70. That means that just changing the oil cost $25.12! TBS Automotive charges $24.95 for the service. Now don’t forget to grease the chassis, top off the washer fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, differential fluids, check tire pressures and record the mileage and date. Again I ask, where is the savings?
Now you may be one of those people that just enjoy getting your hands dirty and get a real sense of satisfaction out of working on your own car. That is as American as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie! And maybe the significant other doesn’t mind the slime in the sink and the missing roll of paper towels. To you I say “go for it!” But please bring your old oil, lead acid batteries, and antifreeze to TBS Automotive so that we may recycle or dispose of them properly. We drink the water too. And when you need the services of a professional for those more complicated jobs, we hope you think of us first.
Winter Survival Kit
As we are all aware, winter is here to stay. We have had our first snow and it has already lost its’ appeal and is no longer pretty. Now every time we have to go somewhere we dread going out because of the cold and the never-ending snow. One thing which should always be in your car, whether you just drive around town or state-wide is a winter survival kit. Winter survival kits can be simple or extensive, store bought or home made. No matter which way you go every kit should have some similar items. Blankets, extra gloves and hats, a candle, matches, pocketknife or scissors, and high energy food like trail mix or peanuts.
I have found instructions on how to make your own home made winter survival kit while I was kicking around ideas for this article. What is suggested is to find a large metal coffee can and punch 3 holes around the top. Cut three pieces of twine of the same length with 3 safety pins. You will tie one end of the string to the coffee can and the other to the safety pin and then pin all three strings to the roof of your car. You can place the candle on the lid underneath the coffee can to melt snow or place your candle in it for heat. Also, the coffee can will be used for storage of the other items you need. Other things that are suggested to place in the coffee can are soup, bouillon cubes or hot chocolate, several long strips of fabric to tie to your antenna, pen light and batteries (separate), a pair of insulated socks/gloves (whichever will fit in can), and sun shield blanket or 2 large green/black plastic leaf bags. The bags you can use to cover up with or put up in your windshield to absorb heat. Everything listed so far, except for blankets, should fit in the coffee can.
Some other items you can keep in your car if you have the room and means to keep it together are extra warm clothing, a lantern, magazines or playing cards, a cup, potty paper, a whistle to signal for help, nylon rope and, of course, your cell phone.
Hopefully you will never have to use your kit, whether store bought or home made. Also, TBS Automotive is a AAA provider so if you do have the misfortune to get stuck, you can call us to your rescue!
Referral Program
How would you like to receive ten dollars from us? It’s easy now that TBS Automotive has brought back the referral program. What referral program? Well, here is how it works. When you pick up your car we give you three things, a copy of your invoice, a survey card and a business card. On the back of the business card write your name and pass it on to anyone you think would benefit from our services. This could be friends, family, colleagues, a stranger, anyone you pass on the street. When the business card with your name gets returned, we will take ten dollars off your next service. We also include business and survey cards in our thank you notes and will happily give out as many as you want if you stop in and visit. If you have multiple cards returned, we will apply as many back as we can in one visit as long as it doesn’t become a credit. For example, you have five friends bring back business cards with your name on the back and you need an oil change. A basic oil change is approximately 30 dollars. If under $30, we will use two cards so you will owe less than ten dollars. If the invoice is over $30, we will use three cards and you will owe the remaining balance. This is basically a free oil change!
Mechanic Notes and Jokes
Despite what you may have heard on the radio or television commercials, there is no tool or electronic device that will “tell you” what is wrong with your car. A Code Reader, Scanner, or Computer only interfaces with the on board computer on your vehicle to determine what it recorded as being outside the window of acceptable parameters. In effect, it’s recording the symptom not the cause.
Auto Part stores are in the business of selling parts, not fixing cars and trucks.
How to Change your oil
Women
1. Pull up to TBS Automotive when the mileage reaches 3000 since the last oil change.
2. Drink a cup of coffee.
3. Less than an hour later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.
Men
1. Go to Napa Auto Parts and write a check for fifty dollars for oil, filter, oil lift (AKA kitty litter), hand cleaner and a scented tree.
2. Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it to TBS Automotive to recycle, dump in burn barrel in backyard.
3. Open a beer and drink it.
4. Jack car up. Spend thirty minutes looking for jack stands.
5. Find jack stands under kid’s pedal car.
6. In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7. Place drain pan under engine.
8. Look for a 9/16 box end wrench.
9. Give up and use crescent wrench.
10. Unscrew drain plug.
11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in process.
12. Clean up.
13. Have another beer while oil is draining.
14. Look for oil filter wrench.
15. Give up; poke oil filter with Phillips screwdriver and twist it off.
16. Beer.
17. Buddy shows up; finish case of beer with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
18. Next day, drag full pan of old oil out from underneath car.
19. Throw oil lift (AKA Kitty litter) on oil spilled during step 18.
20. Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
21. Walk to Hy-vee; buy beer.
22. Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.
23. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
24. Remember drain plug from step 11.
25. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
26. Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.
27. Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.
28. Bang head on floor board in reaction.
29. Begin cussing fit.
30. Throw wrench.
31. Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December (1992) in the left breast.
32. Clean up; apply band-aid to knuckle
33. Beer.
34. Beer.
35. Dump in additional four quarts of oil.
36. Beer.
37. Lower car from jack stands.
38. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.
39. Move car back to apply more oil lift (AKA Kitty Litter) to fresh oil spilled during step 23.
40. Drive car
T B S AUTOMOTIVE
1913 Edgington Ave
Eldora, IA 50627
641-939-7288
Monday – Friday 7:30-5:30
Saturday 8:00-12:00
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The Barbers' Shop
1913 Edgington Ave.
Eldora, Iowa 50627
(641)939-7288
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