Car Talk

July 1996

Dear Tom and Ray:

My car is a 1987 Ford Taurus GL, bought secondhand last September with 69,000 miles on it. This past winter, whenever the temperature went down to freezing or below, the ride became very rough, and even going over a little stone caused the car and its occupants to bounce. We asked our mechanic if our shock absorbers needed replacing, and he said he didn't think that was the problem. He said shocks aren't affected by the weather. He didn't look at the shocks. When the temperature is above freezing, the ride is very smooth. Do you have any ideas? -- Eileen

Ray: Well, my first idea is that your mechanic is not the [yellowcar2.gif] brightest bulb on the porch. I think it IS your shocks, Eileen.

Tom: Shocks ARE affected by cold weather. All shocks contain oil, and that oil is a lot more viscous (i.e., thick) when the temperature is cold.

Ray: And when it's extremely cold, you certainly would notice a harder ride. But that usually happens when it's well below freezing. The fact that your ride changes so dramatically right around 32 degrees makes me think you may have water in your shocks.

Tom: If the top seal on the shock breaks, anything can get in there -- grit, grime, dirt, even small non-furry farm animals. And it's no problem at all for water to get splashed up in there. And since you bought this car used, you have no idea when the shocks were replaced last. It may have been during Ronald Reagan's second term.

Ray: So I'd find a mechanic who's willing to at least get under the car and take a look. Tell him you've hidden a $20 bill on top of one of the shock's towers. That should get him poking around in a hurry.

It's NEVER cheaper in the long run to buy a new car. Want proof? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

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