3 Additives Your Car Doesn't Need
By
Tara Baukus Mello • Bankrate.com
If
you are like most Americans, your car is older and perhaps starting to show its
age, so it's natural to wonder if it doesn't need a little extra something to
give it more oomph.
While
it is important to take care of your car and follow the manufacturer's
recommendations on maintenance, don't be tempted by snazzy advertisements or
the dealership that your car needs additives.
Here
are three common additives you might be enticed to buy and why you don't need
them.
Gas
additives
The
claims are big -- improving performance, reducing your emissions and improving
your gas mileage -- but the fact is, none of these additives are necessary if
your car is properly maintained.
Those
designed to reduce knocking may actually do so, but using them simply masks a
problem. It doesn't fix it. Engine knocking is a sign that your car needs a
repair, so make a trip to your mechanic to rectify the problem instead. Tests
on additives designed to clean your fuel system have not been shown to make any
significant difference in reducing corrosion or deposits and don't improve
performance, while tests on additives that claim to improve gas mileage never
have shown significant improvements, the Environmental Protection Agency says.
The only gas additive that has proven useful is a stabilizer, but this should
only be used in cars that aren't driven very often.
Extended-life
radiator coolants
The
proper mix of radiator coolant and water is essential to keeping your engine
cool in both hot and cold temperatures as well as to prevent corrosion. Some
coolants are promoted as extended life, and they use a different type of
corrosion inhibitor.
While
the claims are valid, automakers designate their cars for one type or the
other, so don't assume extended life coolant is best for your car, and never
mix the two types as that affects the corrosion inhibitors.
Check
your owner's manual to see which type is recommended. You can confirm the
proper fluid has been used by the color. Green or red is regular coolant and
orange is extended life coolant. Follow the manufacturer's schedule for
draining and replacing the coolant as well. More frequent coolant flushes are a
waste of money.
Oil
additives
With
an older, high-mileage car, it's easy to believe the engine is getting tired
and needs an additive to improve performance or reduce wear. But oil additives
simply don't work and may actually harm your engine, according to numerous
independent testing agencies.
In
fact, the Federal Trade Commission has gone after several companies that sell
these additives for false advertising. The dreaded engine sludge that causes an
engine to run poorly or even seize is a rare occurrence and typically happens
only when oil changes have been neglected or if the car has been driven a lot
with an extremely low oil level.
For
more information on those wonderful oil additives: http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~rblander/snake_oil.txt
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