Any suggestions for a reputable tire store with quality products, fair prices? | Car Doctor
Q: I need new tires for my 2019 Subaru Crosstrek. I am looking for a good-quality tire, a reputable dealer and a fair price. I am currently at 64,000 miles. Any suggestions?
A: Sounds like you did well with the tires on your car. If you are happy with them, get the same brand.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect tire. Some will deliver the best dry traction, others do better in wet and slippery conditions, and some are quieter.
Goodyear, BF Goodrich, Pirelli are good choices; on the premium end, Michelin.
I recently installed tires on my car that I have not heard of in years. They're from a European manufacturer called Nokian (made in Dayton, Tennessee). So far, I am quite happy with them.
Many retail tire stores will also price match with online stores, so it never hurts to check prices online before heading out to a tire store.
Why does mail truck stop and restart engine at each address?
Q: The homes in my area are about 100 feet apart, and the mail carrier stops and restarts the truck's engine at almost every address. What are the effects on the truck from stopping and starting? Wouldn’t mail delivery be a perfect use for electric vehicles?
A: Starting and stopping any vehicle (even a heavy-duty mail truck) is hard on the starter, engine flywheel and battery.
I asked my local letter carrier about this, and she told me she is required to stop the truck and lock it at most stops.
Car Doctor: If every 7,500-mile maintenance worked in the past, why change it?
The post office tried electric vehicles many years ago, but battery technology was not there yet. Today, electric utility vehicles have decent range and, at least at the post office, return back to the garage where they can charge overnight and be ready for the next day's deliveries.
According to the U.S. Postal Service website, the postal service intends to deploy more than 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028. This will make the USPS one of the largest electric vehicle fleets in the nation.
Blinded by the glare of extra-bright headlights
Q: I thought for a while that those obnoxious "white" headlights were illegal. They may light up the road nicely for the driver behind the wheel, but they are blinding for oncoming drivers — even in the daytime. They are bad enough on sedans, but they are especially obnoxious on trucks, SUVs and other high vehicles that are aimed right at eye-level. I would vote to have such lights banned and retrofit vehicles that already have them. What are your thoughts on this?
A: There are several types of headlights (approved by the Department of Transportation) being used now.
Car Doctor: Why does 2007 Camry need synthetic oil added every 250 miles?
Conventional halogen (which are used today and first started showing up in the early 1980s); xenon or HID (high intensity discharge) lights, which were mostly used on luxury cars and premium SUVs; and LED headlights. The HID and LED lights were truly designed to make the road safer.
As we age, we need more light to see and drive at night. In fact, when we are 60 years of age, we need three times as much light to see as when we were 20 years old. The issue is that, although these factory lights are brighter and are better aimed (they aim automatically and never go out of adjustment), our aging eyes (I am included) take longer to react and adjust from glare. This was one of the unintended consequences of these lights.
Although this is not the biggest problem. Many drivers like the look of these bright white lights and buy replacement LED bulbs that simulate the factory LED or HID lighting, and these are illegal (but can be purchased on the internet).
These illegal lights — which are very bright, poorly focused and, in some cases, even have color tones — are sometimes caught during annual vehicle inspections or occasionally by law enforcement.
There may be some relief coming. AAA has for years been pushing to allow a new type of light available in Europe that produces virtually no glare and dims immediately when another car approaches. Last year, the law was changed to allow this new safer lighting.
Car Doctor: What do you think about a plug-in hybrid as an alternative to electric?
Does 'auto' setting on headlights work well in rain and at sunset?
Q: Regarding daytime running lights, I keep my headlight setting on auto and my fog lights on. I thought I was OK with these settings, but reading your article has made me rethink this. What exactly happens with the “auto” setting? Should I be changing settings in the rain or at sunset?
While I have your attention, my car has adaptive cruise control. When the car brakes by itself, do the brake lights come on, too?
A: The auto setting may not turn on the front and rear lights under certain conditions. A bright day with a rainstorm may not be dark enough to turn the lights on. Usually, you can tell when the headlights/taillights are on because the dash/radio light intensity may change. Whenever in doubt, switch on the headlights.
Regarding smart cruise control, yes, the brake light do come on — at least on the cars I have tested.
John Paul is the AAA Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automobile industry and is an ASE-Certified Master Technician. Write to John Paul, The Car Doctor, at 110 Royal Little Drive, Providence, RI 02904. Or email jpaul@aaanortheast.com and put “Car Doctor” in the subject field. Follow him on Twitter @johnfpaul or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Any suggestions for quality tires with fair prices? | Car Doctor
