I Hate When That Happens

It seems that in the “Information Age”, we are flooded with statistics. Every time we turn on the TV or open the newspaper, someone or some group is citing some statistic, trying to get us to do or to stop doing something. A long time ago one of my automotive instructors made a comment that I have never forgotten. He said, “sometimes statistics are kind of like a lamppost to a drunk, it is something to lean upon rather than to shed light on.” I have thought of this often when looking and evaluating products and situations. Maybe I have become a bit skeptical over the years. I always wonder to myself what are the motivations behind the information given. I am not saying that all statistics should be challenged, but sometimes we need to do our own investigations.

That is one thing that I like about being in the automotive repair industry. Over the years our company has been exposed to lots of information and I especially like the times that manufactures invite us to test drive there products. They can say a lot of things, but they can’t fake a test drive. One of my most memorable experiences is a test drive given by a shock-and-strut company. They had identical year, make and model vehicles with about 40,000 miles on them. We drove a test track at various speeds. There were big pot holes and a few large speed bumps, there were even a few sharp hairpin turns. We drove fast and made panic stops (that was fun), had to make a high speed turn and stop at the same time (that was really fun). We first drove the vehicle with the new shocks on it. And then we drove the vehicle with the original equipment shocks on them. We drove two sets of different vehicles, one an SUV and the other a 4-door sedan. The differences were amazing. I don’t know what was more fun, driving or watching. After driving the vehicle with the new shocks, you developed confidence in the vehicles handling and stopping ability. Then when we drove the vehicle with the original shocks on it and we were all over the track, running into the barriers, squealing the tires and going up on two wheels. It really was surprising how much more control we had when we cornered, and how much sooner we could stop the vehicle with the new shocks versus the original ones.

I have heard all the statistics before regarding the value of new shocks and struts, but this test drive really put the statistics to the test for me. This winter was again hard on our roads, which is hard on our vehicles, especially our suspension systems. Already we have seen a lot of worn ball joints, tie-rod ends, as well as struts and shocks. Many of these items wear gradually and you may not notice that they are loose or worn. Spring is a good time to have a good comprehensive inspection to identify the wear and tear brought on by winter driving. You may or may not notice that your vehicle doesn’t handle like it once did. You may notice a vibration or a noise not previously noted. In some cases these are definite safety concerns. In some cases they will cause the tires to wear rapidly. In any case, when you need the best performance of your vehicle, usually in an unexpected situation, your vehicle may surprise you, and not pleasantly. I Hate When That Happens!