Goss’ Garage
Pat Goss, MotorWeek's resident master technician, helps consumers understand car problems and how to speak the same language as their technician. As cars becoming increasingly complex, fewer repairs can be accomplished at home. Effective communication with a repair shop is vital to keeping consumer and operating costs under control. From rattles and squeaks to leaks and drips, Pat covers a myriad of issues designed to keep cars on the road and out of the repair shop.
Certified Used Cars
Buying a used car these days is very very different than it was a few years ago. One of the things that you have to be extremely careful of is buying a used car from an individual. That is not a smart thing to do in a lot of cases. Well, let's say you decide to buy from a… Read More
Bad Internet Advice
Just a few minutes on the internet gave us some really interesting sounding advice which, in reality, was nothing but pure garbage and things you should never do. Number one, to clean the black plastic cladding on the outside of your vehicle, or the leather upholstery on… Read More
LED Lights
One of the most important safety aspects of an automobile is to be able to be seen by other drivers. And that means that all of your lights have to work properly. Especially the ones that flash. Or the brake lights. And you want them to be very bright and very visible. And… Read More
Cheap Gas Issues
The price of gasoline is hurting everyone. And certainly, if we could go back to the price we see on this antique gas pump, it would help everyone. But it isn’t going to happen. And that means you have to shop for a decent price on gas. But, you have to be careful, you… Read More
Long-Term Storage
No matter what the vehicle, long periods of disuse can be very damaging. So if you’re going to have anything in storage for a long period of time, proper prep can prevent damage. Change any of the fluids that are due to be changed. Always change the oil; you never want… Read More
Shocks & Struts
A car that bounces as you go down the road can be very tiring and very annoying. And keeping it from bouncing is the job of the shock absorbers and or the struts. Whichever your car happens to have. Now the way you test them is, a couple times a year, you go around each corner… Read More
Engine Plug Problem
Normally I recommend that you leave spark plugs alone in an engine until you have a problem and they need to be replaced. But there is an exception. And that’s on V8 and V10 Ford 3-valve cylinder heads of certain years. They’re heads that use a two piece spark… Read More
Aging Tires
A quarter isn’t what it used to be. A quarter is now a penny. Well, at least when it comes to measuring tread depth on tires. See, for many years we’ve been told to take a penny, and we place Lincoln’s head down in the groove of the tire. And if we can see the… Read More
Brake Issues
Like many things on automobiles, brake problems aren’t always what they appear to be. Take that pulsation you get when you hit the brake pedal. Maybe in the pedal or in the steering wheel, but when you hit the brake, something shakes. You automatically think that you… Read More
