Consumer Reports presents The Car Show (1981)

The following program is a special presentation from home box office. [music] >> [music] >> To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. >> [music] >> The Car Show. Facts on cars. New cars, used cars, safe cars, and more. >> [music] >> Did you ever try to make a six-foot hero sandwich in a small car? Well, small cars are small. They don't give you much room inside. Small cars don't ride as smoothly as larger cars. Hands tend to be more vulnerable in an accident. And small cars are generally noisier. I said they're generally noisier. But there [music] are some advantages to the small car, including high fuel mileage, often [music] more than 35 m per gallon on the highway, good maneuverability in tight spaces, and easy handling. Stop eating that. So remember, in spite of some disadvantages, a small car can really [music] deliver. And when it comes to high gas mileage, small cars have a really [music] good track record. [music] [music] >> [music] >> Claude, a man, wants to see Claudine, a woman, [music] but they are far apart, and Claude has to drive all night to get to where she is. The [music] question is, with the high price of gas, how should he drive to get [music] the most miles per gallon? First, don't buy higher octane gas thinking that it will get you better mileage. It [music] won't unless your engine knocks on a lower octane. Next, Claude, be sure your tires are inflated to the right pressure. Driving [music] with underinflated tires uses up more fuel. And Claude, [music] use high pressure radial tires. They will save you some fuel. As [music] for a car top carrier, take it off if you're not using it. Even the wind resistance on an unloaded carrier like [music] this can lower fuel mileage as much as 5%. >> As for using your car as a mobile closet, >> don't. >> Carrying 100 extra pounds can lower mileage by [music] almost as much as a half a mile per gallon, according to government estimates. [music] And Claude, don't bother warming up your engine. It's unnecessary and wastes gas. [music] [music] Also try to keep a constant speed. Unnecessary acceleration or braking wastes gas. >> [music] >> Finally, your air conditioning wastes fuel. [music] If you want to stay cool and save gas, open the windows. Remember, following these driving tips on highways and byways can mean getting twice the mileage you might otherwise get and can help a man get to [music] a woman in the most economical way possible. [music] [music] Diesel engines have been common in trucks for a long time, but in the last few years, they have become popular options in cars. Diesel fuel is less refined and usually costs less than gasoline. But a diesel engine in most cars costs more than a gasoline engine. Why buy a diesel? Take one example, the Volkswagen diesel rabbit. In Consumer Reports tests, a diesel rabbit turned in a remarkable mileage of nearly 53 m per gallon on the expressway, compared to 46 m per gallon for the gasoline engine rabbit. With that kind of mileage, assuming you drive 15,000 m a year in the city and on the highway, you can save about $200 a year on fuel. Enough to pay for the diesel in a little more than 2 years. Sounds good. But there are some drawbacks to any diesel car. For example, in cold weather, it's hard to start most diesels. Also, most diesel engines rattle and clatter loudly for a few minutes as they warm up. When finally started in very cold weather, most models emit heavy smoke. And did you know about 50 times more soot is given off by a diesel engine than by a gas engine? [music] Research has linked this kind of pollution with an increased risk of respiratory illness. In addition, a possible link between cancer and compounds in diesel exhaust is being studied. Finally, acceleration [music] in any diesel is slower than that of comparable gas powered cars. With a diesel, there's no such thing as a jack rabbit start. So remember, there may be less to buying a diesel than [music] meets the eye. [music] Did you know it's important to keep your tires properly inflated so that they will wear evenly and give you the best performance? [music] Did you know that the proper pressure for your car's tires is not only in the car's manual, but often listed right inside the driver's door? [music] Did you know [music] underinflated tires can really detract from braking and traction, [music] making your car handle awkwardly, if not dangerously? >> [music] >> Underinflated tires are also likely to overheat and increase your chances of a blowout, especially while driving with a heavy load or at highway speed. [music] And besides, driving with underinflated tires uses more fuel. [music] Did you know overinflated tires can also be a problem? Besides [music] causing a rough ride, overinflated tires are less flexible [music] and may be more easily damaged by sharp objects and road hazards. [music] Did you know you should try to take air pressure reading when your tires are cold before they run far enough for friction to heat up the air inside? Did [music] you know that tire pressure rises with the temperature outside? You may have to add air in winter or bleed air in summer. To maintain proper pressure as the seasons [music] change, did you know that most gas station air pumps do not give accurate readings and should not be depended on for reliable measurement of tire pressure? But there is something you can do [music] to keep your tires properly inflated. For a few dollars, you can buy a tire pressure gauge and take your own pressure reading. In Consumer Reports tests of 39 gauges, the best choices for most drivers were the pencil [music] types. They were very reliable, convenient, and easy to use, most costing about $5 or less. Some high-rated models were the Acme A526, [music] the Chieftain 1SBB, the Shraider [music] 5986 A, and the TISC. Remember, [music] keeping your tires properly inflated could mean longer, smoother, safer driving. Oh, what a feeling. >> [music] [music] >> Car accidents are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 14. In addition, tens of thousands suffer serious [music] injuries in car crashes each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety [music] Administration, more than half of the deaths and injuries to children under five would not have happened if parents had used child restraint seats. For larger children, seat belts reduced injuries and death significantly. In crash tests at about 30 m an hour, here's what happens to a test dummy without a restraint. The safest place for the child is in the center of the back seat in a child restraint system. Um, if you don't have a center seat belt, then there's no way of knowing whether the left or the right side of the car is is the safest side, but the back seat is definitely safer than the front seat. The most dangerous place for a baby to be in a car is in the arms of an adult. Because what will happen in a crash is the baby will be caught between the dashboard and the mother's body or the adult's body and actually will be crushed. Uh we have found that the mothers or the adults are actually being injured less because we think the babies are providing some cushioning. If the child is standing up in the back seat, it's equally as dangerous as standing in the front because they'll go over the back of the seat or between the bucket seats and they will become a flying missile and they will go head first into the dashboard or the windshield or other occupants of the car [music] in a station wagon or in a hatchback. It's particularly dangerous because there are no restraints for the child and they are quite vulnerable to being thrown all around the car. In a rear end collision, the child would fly out the back of the station wagon or the hatchback and up against the car coming towards them, which is terribly dangerous. We're finding that about 80% of the injuries to [music] children are head and face injuries, and those are the most severe. [music] Seat belts should always be used by larger children and adults, [music] but smaller children under 40 lbs need child restraint seats. The government recommends [music] that you buy child restraint seats made after January 1st, 1981, which say crash tested on the box, such as the Bobby [music] Mac, the Bunny Bear, the Century, the Costco Peterson, the GM, the International Teddy Tutt, the Cantet, the Scroy. Remember, if you use the proper [music] child restraint, a car seat or seat belt, you can drive knowing that you've done the very best for your child. [music] [music] This is the story of Alexander Balder, well-known mobile artist. For his mobiles, Alexander loves to collect gas-saving gadgets. These gadgets are attached to various parts of a car and they are supposed to save gas. But do they? In Consumer Reports tests, ignition control gadgets like the SparkMt intensifier, the electronic supercharger, and the fire injector made no significant difference in gas mileage. [music] Fuel pressure regulators like the Super Energy Cell didn't save on gas either. And fuel energizer [music] gadgets like the Moleculator, which claims to usually give fuel savings of 10 to 23%, didn't save [music] on gas. In fact, Consumer Reports found that as [music] far as gas saving goes, all these gadgets and all the gas-saving gadgets they tested over the years were essentially useless. So, you'll [music] just be wasting your money buying these so-called gas-saving gadgets. Unless, of course, you're an artist [music] like Alexander Balder who can turn your gas-saving mistakes into a work of art. [music] >> [music] >> It's a beautiful day here for the running of the used car buyers decathlon. The cheers go up as used car buyer champ Jane Goodeny enters the dealers's lot. Wearing a navy blue designer jumpsuit, the champ looks confident. I hope not overconfident because buying a used car can be tricky. [music] The crowd quiets down as Good Penny approaches a used car. >> [music] >> She's examining the car's body for bad rust spots, blisters in the paint, or flaking paint. She especially looks under the door and at the [music] edges of the door, fender, and the trunk lid. If rust spots [music] have gone through the metal, repairs could be expensive. She hasn't found any bad rust spots, and she gets a nice hand for examining the car's body. Next, she looks at the tires for signs of wear. Uneven tire [music] wear can mean mechanical problems, a misaligned front end, defective shock absorbers or brakes, a frame bent in an accident. From there, good [music] penny champ that she is, shakes the top of each front wheel in and out. If there is free play or a clunking sound, it may indicate worn or loose bearings or worn suspension joints. [applause and cheering] The crowd loves it. Shaking tires is always a big crowd-pleaser. [cheering] Look at that. She's going right on to check for worn shock absorbers. She pushes a fender or bumper down several times until that corner of the car is bouncing. The car should come up and stop in a middle position. It does. If the car had kept on bouncing, it could have meant it needed new shock absorbers. The crowd quiets down as Jane Goodeny turns and opens the car door. She's looking inside the car for signs of wear and tear. If the driver's seat has weak or broken springs or lumps or hollows, the car probably has had long, hard use. Jane nods. It looks pretty good. Now she's going to check for a loss of brake fluid. She presses her foot steadily against the brake pedal for about a minute. She knows that if the pedals sink slowly, there is probably a brake fluid leak. You can feel the tension building up in this crowd as she takes it for a test drive. There she goes in reverse. She's checking the [music] car in reverse as well as forward. No transmission should grown or howl. Transmission repairs [music] can be very expensive. Now she's getting on the road to see if the car accelerates smoothly. She listens for [music] any rattles and squeaks. A tense moment should be coming up about now. Checking the car's brakes. The car speed is up to 45 and she breaks hard to stop the car short. The brakes should not grab or vibrate. She'll repeat this important event three times. Brakes aren't that important. Fearless, good Penny goes right on to a bumpy road to see if the car has any trouble holding the road. And just to be sure, she's also going to have a mechanic look at the engine and the insides of the car. Jane [music] Good Penny, you've gone about as far as you can go. You've certainly earned your [music] reputation as the world's best used car buyer. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music]