Q: I talked to a guy in my building who has a 2017 Tesla. He couldn’t stop telling me what a great car it is! Then I saw you on TV talking about electric cars. I’m still not sure if you’re in favor of electric cars or not. So are electric cars the future?
To: Although electric cars have been around for over 100 years, they’ve only really gotten better in the last 15 years or so.
I had an electric car in the 80s, and it was a terrible car with limited range and acceleration. Today, almost all electric cars have a range of over 200 miles (some up to 500 miles) with performance that matches, or betters, most gasoline cars.
For many drivers, an electric car can cover all their driving needs, especially if they can be charged at home. Where electric cars can fall short is in cold weather performance (range can drop by up to 50%), finding a public charging station and initial cost.
Are electric cars the future? Yes, but instead of an electric battery, they can have electric motors powered by hydrogen. I think in 25 or 30 years, gas cars may be as rare as cars with a clutch pedal.
Q: I have a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with a 3.6L V-6 engine with 103,000 miles. I am about to put in my fourth radiator due to a leak. The first radiator was covered under warranty; the others paid them out of pocket.
Jeep knows they have a systemic problem with the all-plastic design, but they’re not doing anything about it. In my experience, this is definitely my last Jeep.
There are aftermarket aluminum radiators. Do you know of any that have been successfully used to replace the Jeep plastic radiator? The last radiator lasted only 23,000 miles.
To: Today, almost all vehicle manufacturers use radiators with aluminum cooling cores and plastic reservoirs. While I have seen some Grand Cherokee radiator failures, they were not to the extent that you are experiencing.
I looked at Summit Racing, and even their high performance radiators are aluminum and plastic. I found a source online that has an all aluminum radiator. If I had so many failures, I would definitely try.
I would also be very critical of the assembly and look for issues that could affect the radiator, such as worn motor mounts. I would also check the Jeep forums to see what other Jeep owners are using.
Q: I have a 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible that shakes when I accelerate through the gears. In the past few weeks, it actually ran fine for three days, but now it’s back to shuddering when accelerating. what could it be
To: The most common cause is lack of maintenance. Spark plugs, ignition wires and ignition coils can fail over time and cause stuttering and hesitation. Many owners look under the hood of this vehicle and see that the intake manifold has to be removed to change the spark plugs, and they just have the car serviced.
Also, if it hasn’t already been done, you might want to consider replacing the timing belt. The timing belt is not a simple replacement as it takes about seven hours, but if it fails you will be replacing the engine.
Q: How long should headlights last? I had a car where the headlights lasted 10 years. In my current car, I change the bulbs every two years.
To: The average life of a conventional halogen bulb is five years (although they start to dim after about two years).
High performance halogen bulbs may only last two years, but the light is whiter and brighter. As we age, we need more light to see, so vehicle lighting is critical to driving safety.
Q: I have been using synthetic oil in an older truck for 15 years. The last time I bought a 5 quart jug, it was almost $30. On the same shelf was a store brand for about $18. Should I risk this no-name oil?
To: As big as the retailers are, they don’t have refineries. I have no problem with store brand oil as long as it meets the vehicle’s specifications.
John Paul is AAA’s Northeast Car Doctor. He has more than 40 years of experience in the automotive industry and is a Master Technician certified by ASE. 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.
