Self-maintenance will not void a warranty

Dear Bob: When we purchased our new Dodge Neon SXT, we were told that the oil change, along with other maintenance items, had to be done by an authorized Chrysler dealership to keep the warranty valid.

This upsets my husband considerably, since he has faithfully changed the oil every 3,000 miles in our previous vehicles. Besides it costing more to have the dealership do it, he feels that the mechanic doesn’t give proper time to make sure that all the oil is drained out completely before putting in new oil.

Is there any way that he can resume doing his own oil changes without voiding the warranty? Or do we have to continue to fork over money to have the dealer do it?

— E.B., Clinton, Wis.

A: It’s patently untrue that you have to go to a dealership to have simple maintenance done while your car remains under warranty. Whoever told you that must have had his head on backward.

Your husband can change the oil himself, but make sure that he keeps good records of the date and mileage at which the oil was changed, notes whether the filter was also changed and hangs onto receipts that specify the kind of oil and filter he used. The oil should be of the viscosity recommended by the manufacturer, and the filter should be equal to or better than the original one.

This also goes for other warranty maintenance. It can be done at any competent shop, so long as you keep receipts for the work showing the date and mileage at which it was done.

Lately dealerships have become much more competitive when it come to oil and lube, and in some cases their prices are equal to or even lower than the prices at many quick lubes. You might tell your husband to check another Chrysler dealership for a price comparison — but, if he still decides he wants to do it himself, be sure he keeps records and receipts when he does.

Dear Bob: I decided to spend a stamp and thank you for your column on test driving.

I’m a 63-year-old widow who is currently shopping for a car in the $30,000-or-less range. I bought my last car without test-driving it, and have always felt guilty about not driving it first.

Since safety is a priority, I have eliminated all cars that don’t have electronic stability control or the equivalent of it, and those that did poorly on government crash tests.

Now I am discovering that most of the sedans that are highly rated for safety require premium fuel. I have yet to find a list of all the 2005s that use regular fuel.

At any rate, I stumbled upon your column at the perfect time and was so pleased to read it. My confidence concerning a test drive has gone up considerably. I’m going to test drive a Saab and a Volvo, and maybe even cars like the Honda CR-5 and the Toyota RAV-4.

I am truly grateful for the nudge and the information that your column provided.

Best regards,

— J.G., Albany, N.Y.

A: I’m glad that the test-drive column is helping you make an informed buying decision.

There are plenty of vehicles out there with stability and/or skid control that also use regular gasoline. My only concern is that many of these also carry price tags above your limit of 30K.

Good luck in your shopping, though! I’m sure that just-right vehicle is out there somewhere.

AMERICAN DRIVERS FIGHT BACK

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Dear Bob: In today’s column you answered a reader’s question about coasting to save fuel. I have been driving for 60 years and have often wondered about that, especially with automatic transmissions.

Your explanation makes sense, but I’m not clear on your use of the term “decelerating.” Do you mean using the brakes to decelerate, since the car will probably accelerate even in gear? On steep hills it can pick up quite a bit of speed!

I do enjoy your column in The Middletown Times Herald Record.

— D.B., Bloomingburg, N.Y.

A: By “decelerate” I mean to leave the vehicle in gear and take your foot off the accelerator. An example would be when you have a stop sign or red light ahead — taking your foot off the gas, you decelerate to the stop.

Therefore, yes, it is possible to increase your speed while decelerating. Going down a steep hill could indeed cause your vehicle to gain speed even with your foot off the gas.

That’s why, in a situation like this, you must also use the brakes while decelerating to keep the vehicle under control.