Frequent road tripper considers investing in dashcam

Q. Car Doctor, what dashcam/recorder do you recommend? I am considering buying one. I travel from Florida to the Northeast fairly regularly. As insurance companies and some people seem to be, a camera that can record an accident seems like a worthwhile investment.

A. A few years ago I thought about buying a truck to move some stuff to Florida and while that never happened, I did buy a dash cam for the reason you mentioned. The unit I installed is made by Garmin and in addition to its exceptionally good high-resolution recording capabilities, it also adds a number of driver assistance features. The camera has lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and connects to their app. Installation was easy and the camera is only about two inches long and sits unobtrusively behind the rearview mirror of the car.

Q. I have a car with no spare tire (just an air pump) and recently noticed a screw in the tread of the rear driver side tire. I took it out and it was only a quarter inch long. The air pressure was fine and when I put soap on the tire there were no bubbles. I plan on doing a lot of family driving for the rest of the summer. Is the tire safe?

A. Yes, the tire tread did its job and prevented the screw from piercing the inner liner of the tire. As part of your regular maintenance, check your tire pressure and all essential fluids while traveling and enjoy making memories this summer.

Q. I inherited my grandfathers Chevrolet Silverado and I love this truck for its 25 year old style and the memories of the time with my grandfather. The truck drives great and smooth but the blower fan for the heat and air conditioning only works on high. Is this the switch or something more serious?

A. It is possible that it is the switch, but more likely it is the fan resistor. There is a large resistor mounted in the HVAC air box that, if it fails, will only run the fan at high speed. Depending on where you buy the part, the price will be between $30 and $60. It takes about an hour and a half to remove part of the instrument panel to get to the resistor.

Q. I am thinking of buying a used/classic BMW. Not one to drive every day, but a fun weekend car. I have seen a few, they all seem to need some work. Are these cars safe to drive and fix without taking away from my child’s college fund?

A. BMWs can be great cars or real money pits. It really depends on what you want from the car. Do you want a perfect show car, or can you live with a few issues? There is an expression: don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. This can certainly apply to keeping a classic BMW on the road. A while back I had Rob Siegel on my radio show, who has owned many BMWs and written several books about them. Listen to the show and check out his book “Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic.” It might help you decide.

Q. I am very picky about my cars and recently I was washing my Nissan Maxima and noticed a light film of oil on the front strut. The car runs fine and is quiet but there is oil in it. I took it to the dealer; they looked it over and said it was fine. If it is leaking oil how can it be fine?

A. A tiny bit of leakage is considered normal. Nissan even has a procedure for looking at the oil film. If it is a thick layer of oil that has collected dust and dirt, the struts need to be replaced. If it is a thin layer of oil film with no visible dirt/dust, it is considered normal. At this point I would just watch the oil and not wash it off if you see it starting to build up.

Q. I have a 1970 Chevy Nova and want to replace the 6 cylinder engine with a V-8. Nothing high performance, just more powerful than the small 6. Is that easy? Some people have told me to watch out for “marketplace rebuilds”. What does that mean?

A. Easy is somewhat relative. The car is designed for a V-8 engine, so there aren’t many modifications required to install the engine. You will still need to upgrade the cooling system, front springs (to support the extra weight), and some wiring and fuel line modifications. A marketplace rebuild sometimes refers to an engine for sale that may have new valve cover gaskets and a fresh coat of paint, but is hiding a lot of sins. A true rebuild includes at least the following: engine disassembled, parts inspected for wear, timing chain/sprockets, bearings and rings replaced, cylinder heads inspected, valves reground and properly installed with new gaskets.

John Paul is AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor. He has over 40 years of experience in the automotive industry and is an ASE Certified Master Technician. Email your Car Doctor question to [email protected]Listen to the Car Doctor podcast on johnfpaul.podbean.com.

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