Whether Selling, Buying or Fixing, Check Web Sites
Honestly, sometimes I get so tired of all the hype about the Internet that I just want to get in my car and roll up the windows (you know, those devices made out of glass).
Nonetheless, I use the Internet and depend on it every day. And among the Net’s many profound effects is the way it has empowered motorists.
At one time, information about mechanical repairs, new and used cars and trucks, automobile pricing and safety defects was too difficult or time-consuming to get. The Internet has dramatically changed all that.
Now, in a matter of minutes, you can quickly research the resale value of your car or truck, check deals on new vehicles, find out about technical service bulletins issued by manufacturers or get a sophisticated lesson in mechanical systems. Much of this information is free.
At the same time, software for your home PC can provide diagnostics for your vehicle’s problems, databases of service bulletins and general repair manuals.
I could not possibly review all the Internet sites and software that might be helpful, but I will give you a rundown on some of my favorites.
*
Among the most popular automotive Web sites is Kelley Blue Book (https://www.kbb.com). It used to take a trip to a library, bank or credit union to check Kelley’s authoritative pricing on used cars and trucks, but the Irvine-based company now provides much of that information at no charge to consumers at its site.
The free used-vehicle price estimator is simple to use and requires only that you plug in the year, make, model, mileage and optional equipment of any car or truck you want to price. The estimator gives you both the trade-in and retail prices--the exact information that banks, used-car dealers and other Blue Book subscribers pay $52 a year to obtain, Editor Charlie Vogelheim says.
What the site does not give is the estimated wholesale price, which differs from the trade-in value. Trade-in is what you can expect to get from a dealer for your car or truck. Wholesale is a higher price that reflects the value of a reconditioned vehicle. Nevertheless, the free information makes Kelley one of the most visited auto sites on the Internet, providing motorists with 21 million price reports a month, Vogelheim says.
If a helpful lesson in automobile mechanics is what you seek, AutoSite (https://www.autosite.com) is hard to beat. The site includes a detailed section on how to trouble-shoot problems on your vehicle and remarkably thorough primers on how various mechanical systems operate.
A good example is AutoSite’s lengthy primer on brakes, which offers special sections on discs, master cylinders, hydraulics and related topics. The site--much of which is duplicated at Autoweb (https://www.autoweb.com), which is owned by the same company--posts about 30,000 pages of information, including links to buying services such as Autobytel (https://www.autobytel.com).
*
If you poke around the Net, you can find amazing content that can help you keep you car or truck running and save money.
Got a problem with your cooling system? You might want to visit the official site of the National Automotive Radiator Service Assn. (https://www.narsa.org). It won’t show up in any surveys of “cool” Web sites, but it may just help you keep your vehicle cool.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. operates a site (https://www.goodyear.com) that teaches Web surfers how tires are made and advises on how to pick the right size and type for your vehicle (a Goodyear brand, of course).
Federal Mogul, a parts maker based in Detroit, has plenty of information on stuff like valves and brake systems at its site (https://www.federalmogul.com).
Technical service bulletins are issued by manufacturers to warn mechanics of known service problems, defects and special repair procedures. If you want such bulletins, the only place I know to get them quickly on the Web is Alldata (https://www.alldata.com). They are not free, but you can scan at no charge through all the titles on any vehicle before deciding which ones to order.
*
What really leaves me disappointed are the sites operated by the auto makers themselves. Most provide skimpy information about their products and about how to maintain them. This seems like a lost opportunity to build consumer loyalty. Why not post owner’s manuals, technical service bulletins and even shop manuals, which are available only through dealers? These sites are one notable example of why the auto industry comes off as so cold to its customers.
Finally, I’ll mention some of the software available to motorists. Most of it is disappointing. One example is a recent compact disc issued under the brand name Motor Trend, the car magazine that is a household name.
The Motor Trend Autotech CD takes users through a step-by-step system for diagnosing problems. But the system provides little related information. For example, it might diagnose that your constant velocity joints are causing a clicking sound in the front end, but it tells little about how such components work and what repair options are available.
Motor Trend licensed its name to the product, but the magazine staff had little involvement in producing it, an editor at the publication said in an interview.
Ralph Vartabedian cannot answer mail personally but responds in this column to automotive questions of general interest. Please do not telephone. Write to Your Wheels, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. E-mail: ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com.
Your Mechanic
Mechanics are often unjustly blamed for the common problems consumers have with their cars. There are legions of heroes working in the garages of Southern California.
Do you have a story about a favorite mechanic you’d like to share?
Write to Ralph Vartabedian, Your Wheels, Business Section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. E-mail: ralph.vartabedian@latimes.com.
Please include your name, city and a daytime telephone number, as well as the mechanic’s name and the city, name and phone of his or her business.
