Decision Tree
| Situation | Action |
|---|
| Buying a car | Check buying.md for price negotiation, inspection checklist, financing |
| Maintenance due or warning light |
Check
maintenance.md for schedules, DIY vs mechanic, symptom diagnosis |
| Breakdown or accident | Check
emergencies.md for immediate steps, who to call, documentation |
| Road trip planning | Pre-trip checklist below, then
emergencies.md for kit and what-ifs |
Pre-Trip Checklist
Before any long drive:
- - [ ] Tire pressure (including spare) at recommended PSI
- [ ] Oil level between min/max marks
- [ ] Coolant reservoir at proper level
- [ ] All lights working (headlights, brake, turn signals)
- [ ] Windshield washer fluid filled
- [ ] Wiper blades not streaking
- [ ] Phone charger and emergency contact numbers accessible
Warning Lights — Quick Reference
| Light | Severity | Action |
|---|
| Check engine (steady) | Medium | Safe to drive, diagnose within days |
| Check engine (flashing) |
Critical | Stop driving, call tow |
| Oil pressure | Critical | Stop immediately, check oil level |
| Temperature/coolant | Critical | Pull over, let engine cool, check coolant |
| Battery | Medium | Drive to shop, may have 30-60 min before stall |
| ABS | Low | Brakes work, but ABS disabled — drive carefully |
| Tire pressure | Low | Check and inflate soon |
Cost Sanity Check
Before approving any repair, verify the quote:
- 1. Get the exact repair name (not "fix the engine")
- Search "[repair name] + [car model] + cost" for typical range
- Labor: $80-150/hr is normal; over $200/hr is premium/dealer
- If quote is 50%+ above average, get a second opinion
Common repairs (USD):
- - Oil change: $30-75
- Brake pads (pair): $150-300 installed
- Battery replacement: $150-250
- Alternator: $400-600
- Timing belt: $500-1000
Fuel Efficiency Tips
- - Optimal highway speed: 55-65 mph (above 65, efficiency drops ~15%)
- Tire pressure: check monthly, underinflation costs 0.2% per PSI
- AC vs windows: AC more efficient above 45 mph
- Remove roof racks when not in use (5% drag penalty)
- Avoid idling more than 30 seconds
When to Load More
| Situation | Reference |
|---|
| Buying new or used, financing, negotiation | INLINECODE4 |
| Maintenance schedules, DIY repairs, diagnostics |
maintenance.md |
| Accidents, breakdowns, insurance claims |
emergencies.md |
决策树
| 情况 | 行动 |
|---|
| 购车 | 查看 buying.md 了解价格谈判、验车清单、融资方案 |
| 保养到期或警示灯亮起 |
查看 maintenance.md 了解保养周期、DIY与修理厂选择、故障诊断 |
| 抛锚或事故 | 查看 emergencies.md 了解紧急步骤、联系对象、文件准备 |
| 公路旅行规划 | 先查看下方出行前清单，再查阅 emergencies.md 了解应急包和突发情况应对 |
出行前清单
长途驾驶前：
- - [ ] 轮胎气压（含备胎）达到推荐PSI值
- [ ] 机油液位在最小/最大刻度之间
- [ ] 冷却液储液罐液位正常
- [ ] 所有车灯正常工作（大灯、刹车灯、转向灯）
- [ ] 挡风玻璃清洗液加满
- [ ] 雨刮片无条纹残留
- [ ] 手机充电器和紧急联系电话随手可及
警示灯快速参考
| 警示灯 | 严重程度 | 行动 |
|---|
| 发动机故障灯（常亮） | 中等 | 可安全行驶，数日内诊断 |
| 发动机故障灯（闪烁） |
严重 | 立即停车，呼叫拖车 |
| 机油压力灯 | 严重 | 立即停车，检查机油液位 |
| 温度/冷却液灯 | 严重 | 靠边停车，让发动机冷却，检查冷却液 |
| 蓄电池灯 | 中等 | 可开到修理厂，熄火前可能有30-60分钟 |
| ABS灯 | 低 | 刹车正常，但ABS失效——谨慎驾驶 |
| 胎压灯 | 低 | 尽快检查并充气 |
维修费用合理性检查
在批准任何维修前，核实报价：
- 1. 获取准确的维修名称（而非修发动机）
- 搜索[维修名称] + [车型] + 费用了解典型价格范围
- 工时费：80-150美元/小时为正常；超过200美元/小时为高端/4S店价格
- 若报价高于平均水平50%以上，寻求第二意见
常见维修费用（美元）：
- - 换机油：30-75美元
- 刹车片（一对）：150-300美元（含安装）
- 更换蓄电池：150-250美元
- 发电机：400-600美元
- 正时皮带：500-1000美元
燃油效率提示
- - 最佳高速车速：55-65英里/小时（超过65英里/小时，效率下降约15%）
- 轮胎气压：每月检查，胎压不足每低1PSI油耗增加0.2%
- 空调与开窗：时速超过45英里时使用空调更省油
- 不使用时拆除车顶行李架（增加5%风阻）
- 避免怠速超过30秒
何时加载更多内容
| 情况 | 参考文件 |
|---|
| 购买新车或二手车、融资、谈判 | buying.md |
| 保养周期、DIY维修、故障诊断 |
maintenance.md |
| 事故、抛锚、保险理赔 | emergencies.md |
