Mechanics to the Rescue

救車英雄Everything you wanted to know about cars but were afraid to ask
by Simon Stopps

SC: Used cars can be cheaper than new ones, but they can also be riskier. How do you know you are getting a good used car?
RC: A lot of people check consumer guides that tell you which cars are built with quality and last well. Guides also list which car parts are good and which tend to fail. If you’ve got a mechanic that you trust, take the car to that mechanic. Pay him or her to look it over and check all the major components. That’s always money well-spent.

SC: How can you find a good mechanic?
RC: In North America, mechanics have to get their "Class A License." Getting the license requires about 9,000 hours of work as an apprentice, completion of college courses and passing a written test. Having a license is one mark of a mechanic's ability. Dealerships often have factory-trained technicians. They tend to be well trained, but they can also be pricey. You can also rely on word of mouth. If you've found a good mechanic, quite often you'll tell people.

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.

Grammar
That's always money well-spent.
well-spent
He is a well-known speaker.
It is a well-written story.
That is a job well-done.
It was a song well-played.
That's always money well-spent.
That's always money that is well-spent.
a job well done= a job that is well-done.
a song well played=a song that is well-played.

Vocabulary
license (n)-Last Tuesday, Salina passed the test and received her driver's license.
technician (n)_技师,技术员a person who had been well trained with technical skells.
The technicians are trying to fix the plane's engines.
word of mouth (idiom)-News often travels by word of mouth.
mechanic(n)-修理工,技工I need to take my car to the mechanic. It is not working properly.
*Greg is one of the top mechanics of this garage. 修理厂
*Ray works as an aircraft mechanic.
components-构成的元素,零件,Vegetables and fruits are important components of a healthy diet.
*These second-hand computer components are still usable. com-有"一起"的意思.
apprentice-Charlie was a carpenter's apprentice for several years before he become a real carpenter.
*Most chores and hard work were done by the apprentices. apprentice-学徒,见习生
tune up (phr v)-Martin's motorcycle is always clean and tuned up.
trade off (n)-交换,抵消作用或代替,换取.trade-交易
When buying a computer, there is always a tradeoff between quality and price.
*To Vivian, giving up a nice job is an acceptable trade off for staying home..
*Both the husband and the wife are very successful, but the trade off is they seldom see each other
economy (n)-经济,此指"节约性". Their goal was to achieve better economy in their use of water.
*This new device can boost the fuel economy. 新装置提升省油性.
*With the sky-high oil price, most people tend to buy fuel economy cars.
manual (n)-手册,食物选购单You should always check the manual before trying to fix the fax machine.
*Henry read the DIY manual for the cabinets before assembling them.
*The software comes with a 200-page manual.

Chat Room
care- 照料,保养.忧虑,烦恼 hair care-take care your hair头发的保养;
health care健康的保养, car-care
take care of- 保养,照顾某个人或某样东西.
take care-=good bye with warning,take care that you don't catch a cold. 保重,小心,当心(别感冒)
He doesn't have a care in the world. 他总是无忧无虑.a happy person who doesn't worry things.
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eye-
keep an eye on something-watching 注意,盯着看某样东西.
keep an eye out for -searching, seeking寻找某样东西.
keep one's (your) eye on the ball (idiom)-pay attention. focus on something 眼盯着(球),要专心,不要分心.
see eye to eye (idiom)- agree with someone 与某人看法相同,有相同的观点.
see with half an eye- clear understand 一看就明白,一目了然.