A client of ours with a 2001 Volvo S80 replaced his own battery early last week. Unfortunately, doing so cost him $1,600 in the end because this seemingly straightforward procedure destroyed the car’s climate control computer. (The fancy term for the computer that control the heat and air conditioning.)

Interestingly, it seems this wasn’t a fluke. Online industry and consumer forums turned up a host of similar cases. Consumers reported losing heat, A/C, power locks, power windows and radios after the Volvos (mostly model year 2001) had:

• a jump start;
• a new battery installed;
• the battery cables removed to clean the terminals.

The root of the problem appears to be residual power to the control computer, which causes a voltage spike when the battery cables are reconnected. In other words, simply turning off the ignition isn’t enough. A period of time must pass before all of the car’s computer controls completely drain of power. (We would highly recommend removing the key from the ignition and waiting 20 to 30 minutes to disconnect the cables.)

In some of the cases we read about, consumers were lucky and were able to reset the climate control module by removing the battery cables and holding the terminals together for 30 seconds. In other scenarios, an auto repair shop was able to reload the climate control software. But in severe cases, like our client’s, the climate control computer needed to be replaced.

If you have any battery or starting issues with these vehicles, I strongly recommend relying on your favorite automotive technician. I realize I have an inherent bias in saying that, but the $1,600 risk isn’t worth saving a $100-$200 trip to the shop for a new battery. If you are determined to tackle battery problems yourself, exercise every caution to ensure the modules are powered down.

If you’re among those who don’t have the luxury of parking your car in a garage 24/7, you’ve probably become well acquainted with your snow scraper this winter.

And if you loathe scraping or find it somewhat ineffective, here are three affordable, homemade de-icing solutions from the minds at Wisebread and DollarStretcher.com:

1. To prevent frost on your windows, mix three parts vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle. Apply to all the car windows before going to bed at night.
2. To remove very thick ice from your windshield, mix one part water to two parts rubbing alcohol. Apply to the window and watch it peel right off!
3. To remove ice, use a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol with a few drops of dish soap. Apply liberally to the glass with a spray bottle.

I saw a news report online today from a Georgia TV station that posed the important question: Should I repair or replace my car?

Given the gloomy state of the economy, more people than ever are forgoing a new car and opting for major repairs. Quite frankly, this is a financially prudent practice in any economy. We wrote a newsletter article a couple of years ago about how you can save as much as $10,000 by keeping your car for eight years instead of four.

There’s no better time than now to revisit this article, and I’m purposely choosing our piece over the TV station’s because I feel it gives you a much more complete picture of the facts. Enjoy! Let us know what you think.

On inauguration day, the Secret Service will put a new presidential limousine into service to drive President-Elect Obama the two-miles down Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade.

The GM-produced Cadillac features bulletproof glass, a sealed interior to ward off a chemical attack, larger windows and better visibility for the president, heavy armor that is at least 5 inches thick and run-flat tires in case of punture. For comfort’s sake, there’s a 10-disc CD player and a hand-stitched leather interior, as well as advanced communications devices.

The new vehicle will be a change from the 2008 Ford Escape hybrid that Obama rode in during his campaign, and one that will be sure to keep him safe.

Source: Suntimes.com

Just when you thought political news in our region couldn’t get any weirder, it does. In addition to the daily Blagojevich-Burris-Obama drama, there comes the news of Gary, Ind., Mayor Rudy Clay and the tale of his new Hummer H3.

According to the Northwest Indiana Times, a day after begging the state for a financial lifeline for Gary in the form of relief from new property tax caps, Mayor Clay defended his purchase of a 2009 Hummer H3 that was bought with taxpayer money.

“What do you want me to do, walk around here?” Clay reportedly asked. “I’ve got to have a car.” The purchase price of the car is to be paid in three yearly installments that total $29,970.

As the article states, one member of the panel charged with deciding Gary’s fiscal fate cast doubt that the city has proven its need for state help if it still is buying automobiles. “It’s disappointing to learn this the day after Mayor Clay asked the Distressed Unit board to raise the property tax caps,” said Ryan Kitchell, chairman of the appeals board and director of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget. “We will only consider doing so after the city has cut all that it can. The new Hummer and testimony presented yesterday clearly show that much more spending can be cut.”

More than 30 Gary residents submitted comments to the board opposing the bailout, some of which blasted the city for funding the vehicle purchase.Some Gary residents compared Clay’s actions to the CEOs of the Big Three automakers arriving in Washington, D.C., in their corporate jets to ask Congress for a bailout. But Clay justified the expense by saying, “We’re saving taxpayers money by riding in a Hummer. I could’ve bought a $50,000 Expedition.”

It’s enough to give you a stomach ache, especially because so many of us are conserving our funds in line with the economic times. Not to mention that there certainly are more fuel-efficient vehicles he could have chosen (the H3 receives an estimated 14 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway). Or that Mayor Clay could have scooped up a gently used
vehicle for a song.

It’s a political saga that we here in Illinois can relate to, all too well.

Source: Northwest Indiana Times