Car Care Quiz

A good coat of wax can help keep paint looking good.
TRUE: A coat of quality wax not only keeps in the good stuff that keeps paint looking new, but it also repels the bad stuff. That thin layer of wax repels all manner of things that want to harm paint. Which wax to use is not as an important choice as actually using wax, any wax. Wax application is clearly a case of something is better than nothing.

Brake fluid lasts forever.
FALSE: Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means it has great ability to absorb water from the air. Over time this moisture can cause damage to the brake system, and dangerously lower the brake fluid boiling point. Brake fluid should be clear and transparent. Cloudy brake fluid means its time for a change.

If engine coolant is bright green, it's still okay.
FALSE: Over time the chemicals in engine coolant can become corrosive. Coolant that looks OK can in fact be causing unseen and expensive cooling system damage. Checking engine coolant condition with an inexpensive tool is easy, and can prevent both overheated engines and empty wallets.

When working on a car or truck, it's always a good idea to tighten nuts and bolts as tight as possible.
FALSE: Almost every fastener that can be tightened on a modern motor vehicle is designed only to be tightened to a specific torque. Measuring this twist is what a torque wrench is for, making one an indispensable tool in the do-it-yourselfers toolbox.

It takes more fuel to stop and start an engine then it does to leave it running.
FALSE: This may have in certain cases been true in the olden days of carbureted engines, but modern fuel injection systems have put a permanent end to this myth. While turning the car on and off all the time may not be the best idea for the starter, letting it idle away any longer than three minutes is simply a waste of fuel.