April 16, 2013 • Page 12 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Cloudy headlamps a significant safety concern (MS) -- Many drivers feel less comfortable behind the wheel at night than they do during the day, when daylight makes it easier to see fellow motorists as well as pedestrians. Nighttime can compromise a driver's vision, and that reduced vision is a key factor in traffic fatalities, nearly half of which occur at night. Though traffic accidents are a byproduct of a host of factors, headlamp clouding is one of them and a growing problem for many motorists. Vehicles equipped with plastic headlamp lenses can become hazed and yellowed from the effects of sunlight, ozone, road pollu- tion and the chemicals used in car washes. When driving at night, cloudy headlamps combine with little or no natural light to decrease visibility and pose a significant safety threat to drivers, their passengers and fellow motorists. Drivers cannot increase the amount of natural light at night, but there are steps they can take to improve their nighttime visibility. * Address cloudy headlamps. Plastic headlamp lenses, especially as they age, reduce headlight output considerably, compromising nighttime vision and the safety of drivers and their passengers. But as potentially dangerous as cloudy headlamps can be, it's just as easy for drivers to address the issue before it becomes a problem. Employing an advanced technology that works with minimal effort, the Philips Headlight Restoration Kit is designed for do-it-yourselfers and can help restore headlight lenses to like-new condition in less than 30 minutes. In lieu of a costly headlamp replacement, the Philips Headlight Restoration Kit allows motorists to quickly and significantly improve the light output of their headlamps, taillights, turn signals and reflective lens covers. * Keep wiper blades fresh. Vision is already compromised at night, when the lack of natural light can make it difficult to see pedestrians or animals on the road. That visibility is only further compromised by brittle or ineffective wiper blades, which should be changed every 90-120 days to ensure optimal performance. Drivers who live in areas with heavy rain or snowfall should inspect their wiper blades more frequently, especially if there is pitting on the windshield. * Check the windshield washer periodically. The windshield washer is an often overlooked aspect of vehicle maintenance. Unfortunately, it's typically too late by the time many motorists notice an issue with their windshield washer. Don't fall victim to a faulty windshield washer in the middle of a rainstorm or a blizzard. Inspect the windshield washer periodically to ensure it's working properly and keep the fluid level topped off so it's there when you need it. * Think ahead. In addition to addressing existing issues, drivers can take steps to ensure their nighttime visibility is protected over the long haul. The Philips Headlight Restoration Kit, for example, employs a pro- tective UV coating that can prevent future clouding for up to two years. In addition to addressing the headlamps, consider how your visibility is likely to be affected during the worst possible snowstorm or on a night with torrential rains. Keep those conditions in mind when deciding whether or not to hang any fuzzy dice or other trinkets from your rearview mirror. While such items can add a touch of personality to your vehicle, the decreased visibility such items can cause is not worth the cost over the long haul. Octane rating affects car costs A variety of factors come into play when a person is deciding which new or previously owned vehicle to purchase. While body type, model year and make all are considered, shoppers should also look into what type of fuel the vehicle needs. Many drivers are aware of the different grades of gasoline available at the pump. Unleaded versions come in regular, plus and premium varieties, which coordinates to the octane of the gasoline. The octane rating of gasoline tells a driver how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites, rather than igniting normally from a spark plug in the vehicle engine. Lower-octane gasoline can withstand less compression than higher-octane gasoline. Gas that ignites on its own rather than from a spark from the spark plug causes knocking and pinging, which can damage the engine. Therefore it is important to use the right octane level of gasoline for a vehicle, based on the car's compression ratio for the engine. Car engines that are rated in a particular way will benefit from the correct octane in gasoline. Higherperformance engines commonly found in race cars and sporty, luxury vehicles will generally require a premium, high-octane gasoline to run at their optimal performance. Most cars on the market are built to take regular 87-octane gasoline. A visit to the gas station clearly indicates that higheroctane fuel costs more per gallon than the lowest octane. Over time, filling up with premium gas can be a significant factor in how The Flue Doctors Certified Chimney Sweeps Certified Dryer Exhaust Technicians much it costs to own a particular vehicle. If you are looking to save money, it is important to consider just how much of your budget will be devoted to fuel costs. A vehicle that requires premium gasoline instead of regular gasoline may end up costing a few hundred dollars more per year based on the size of the fuel tank. It is important to note that using a higher octane fuel in a vehicle that is not rated for it will not increase performance -- it only will end up costing you more. That's because the octane rating refers to how much energy it takes to ignite the gasoline and at what point in the compression cycle, not how much power the gasoline will put out. Premium gas will not improve gas mileage or give the vehicle more "oomph" if the engine is not Roy Johnson Roofing, Inc. • Standing Seam • Repairing & New Roofs • Built-Up Roofing • One-Ply Roofing System PR Olson 665-5181 800-545-2847 50 Burleigh • Yankton, SD We Make House Calls! (605)665-7731 designed to accommodate a higher-octane fuel. In fact, engines that are not designed for high-octane gas may actually lose power because it burns so much slower and the ignition timing is not tuned for it. It is always wise to consult with the owner's manual to determine the type of fuel that will offer the best performance in the car. Those shopping for a new vehicle should pay attention to octane ratings and not assume that every car they test drive is best when running on regular octane. 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