Easy to Add Stereo After Car Purchase
Question: I’ve been shopping for a new car and just recently learned from a friend that I don’t have to buy the radio that comes with the car if I don’t want it. Is it much trouble to get a stereo installed in the car after I buy it?--R.P.
Answer: No, it’s not hard to buy a stereo after you buy the car. Some of the sound systems on the market are indeed better--and perhaps more expensive--than those available from some car manufacturers. And you have a much wider choice of speakers by purchasing the system from an independent supplier. But there are some pitfalls to watch for if you decide to buy from one of the many electronics shops specializing in car audio.
The number of companies manufacturing car stereo systems has grown to about 80 from only 20 just a few years ago.
In choosing which model to buy, the warranty is perhaps more important than how the stereo sounds. A stereo installed by the car manufacturer or dealer will be covered under the new-car warranty, which is normally a year for parts and labor. You should get the same terms when you buy it at a stereo store, preferably backed by the manufacturer. A good warranty will usually provide that it can be returned if it fails within the first 10 days after the purchase.
You might have to go elsewhere to have it installed. Regardless of who installs it, find out how much experience the installer has in putting stereos into your make of car. You don’t want a rear deck or door panel damaged by an inexperienced workman. Consider the installation cost as well as the purchase price when figuring whether it is cheaper to buy it with the car or separately. Unless you’re paying cash, figure the finance charges in the cost. When you buy it with the car, you are financing the purchase at the car-loan rate, now around 12% to 14%, whereas charging it on a bank charge card will cost you at least 18% interest.
Q: Recently I took my 1983 Dodge Colt in for a lube and oil and filter change and watched the work being done. I noticed that the mechanic did no lubricating of the chassis, so I asked about it. He said the grease fittings were sealed. Does that mean that the car will never need lubricating?--H.H.
A: Most late-model cars do have sealed fittings in the suspension system. This permits you to forgo this once-standard maintenance procedure.
Older cars have grease fittings at the joints of the suspension parts that need to be lubricated about every 10,000 miles. A mechanic pumps grease into the fittings until he sees the old, dirty grease ooze out around the edges of the suspension parts.
On newer vehicles, these parts are lubricated and sealed at the factory to eliminate this maintenance step. Depending on the type of car you have, you might have a few fittings that must be lubricated. Just have the job done during routine maintenance.
Q: I bought a 1984 Ford F250 pickup and put an eight-foot, cab-over camper on it. I’m worried about the tires not being able to carry the load. They are Uniroyal LT235-85R-16 tires. I asked six dealers about it; half said get rid of the tires, and half said I have nothing to worry about. What should I do?--S.B.
A: What you do will depend on the load range of the tires and exactly how much weight you have put on them. Your tires come in two load ranges, D and E, and which one you have is printed on the sidewall. Load range D can carry a maximum load of 2,623 pounds, or about 5,200 pounds for the rear axle and 10,400 pounds for the entire vehicle. Load range E will support 3,042 pounds per tire--or about 6,000 pounds per axle and 12,000 pounds for the vehicle.
It’s unlikely that you have exceeded either one of these limits with the load you have put on the truck, although you could have too much weight on the back half for the load range D. The rear axle itself is rated to support at least 5,300 pounds (6,250 if you have the heavy-duty suspension), so even the lighter load range should be OK. If you’re worried, stop at a highway weigh station and put each axle of the truck on the scale to see how much it really weighs.
