20091015 -- Mechanics to the Rescue (2)

Mechanics to the Rescue

SC: What can you do to save money on maintenance without putting your car at risk?

RC: I would make sure my tires were at the right air pressure so I could improve my fuel economy. I'd also keep an eye on things under the hood such as oil and brake fluid. It doesn't cost you anything to check those things. It's also good to be familiar with the owner's manual for the car. The need for things like oil changes varies among different cars. Typically, people like to do those things too soon- and that's like throwing money out the window.

SC: Do different grades of gasoline make a difference to your car and its mileage?

RC: In theory, yes. Higher-octane fuels can give better mileage. But if you are going to use higher-octane fuel, make sure your car is tuned up. Things like tire pressure affect mileage greatly.

It's probably best to do a little experiment. Use a tank of gasoline and check your mileage, and then try the higher octane and check your mileage again. See if the trade off in better mileage is worth it because obviously, higher octane costs more money.


economy n. 經濟/(本課指)節約性
eg: Their goal was to achieve better economy in their use of water.
eg: This new device can boost the fuel economy.
eg: With the sky-high oil price, most people tend to buy fuel economy cars.

manual n. (使用)手冊
=> small book that shows you how to do something
eg: You should always check the manual before trying to fix the fax machine.
eg: The software comes with a 200-page manuel.
eg: Henry read the DIY manual for the cabinets before assembling them.

tune up 調整/調音
eg: Martin's motorcycle is always clean and tuned up.

trade off n. 交換/交易
eg: When buying a computer, there is always a trade off between quality and price.
eg: To Vivian, giving up a nice job is an acceptable trade off for staying home with the kids.
eg: Both the husband and the wife are vey successful, but the trade off is they seldom see each other.

hood n. (美)(汽車的)車蓋

brake fluid n. (用於液壓器的)煞車油

octane n. (化)辛烷

//== Chat room ==//

keep an eye on something 注意/盯著看某樣東西
=> watch somethig carefully

keep an eye out for something 尋找某樣東西
=> search/watch for something
eg: Keep an eye out for your car.

keep your eye on the ball 專心

see eye to eye 和某人看法一致
=> agree on something

see with half an eye 一目了然