Four simple tips to make your car run much better. What parts does the car not work without? Will driving on a cold machine harm the power steering

Unless the lack of seats, roof and doors, windows and wipers will not interfere with her movement, and everything else plays a decisive role in her ability to drive. So there is no need to talk about which detail is more important and which is less important.

However, there is also what is the most important aspect for the movement of any car - this is the battery (it is also the battery, that is accumulator battery). A lot can be said about it, but you need to start with the fact that for electric transport the battery is the main source of energy, and for cars or motor vehicles - auxiliary. In cars, the battery is used to start the engine, that is, without it, in fact, the car will not go anywhere.

Of course, given the diversity modern cars, it is not surprising that a lot of batteries are also being created for them. And when choosing a battery for yourself, you should carefully calculate all aspects, all parameters, choosing what will suit the car the most. Wide choose The battery in St. Petersburg can be found here: http://bestakbspb.ru/, but for now it is worth noting some more aspects.

What is a battery?

It is a chemical power source consisting of several batteries (usually for car batteries 6 elements apply). During the existence of the battery (and this is already more than one and a half centuries), they have changed their composition, and at the moment the most common are lead-acid ones. However, this does not mean that all battery types are the same. Lead is still the basis for electrodes, as it was many years ago, but the additives to it can be different, which determines different types of batteries.

Here are a few examples: batteries can be antimony, low antimony, calcium, hybrid, gel, alkaline, and lithium-ion. Of course, each of these types of batteries has different properties, which makes them popular to varying degrees. However, antimony is currently obsolete. But there are many other types, so the question remains open.

If you've ever had to make a choice, you've probably come across in your ads the same obscure phrase "the car has been re-tuned."

What does "customization" mean for modern cars? Be sure, most likely, even the seller himself does not know what is meant by this term and what needs to be done to carry out this setting. He probably just screwed a popular phrase into his ad, not bothering too much about its meaning. Meanwhile, in real life there are certain actions that just need to be done by any car owner in order for his car to drive confidently and not cause trouble.


We open the hood and check!

Most modern cars these days hardly require a serious planned, except, perhaps, checking the level of technical fluids.

This became available thanks to technological advances in automotive industrywhich have been in use since the late 1980s. Widespread use of fuel injection systems and electronic ignition, as well as ignition with an individual coil on each plug created fertile ground for a serious increase in engine reliability internal combustion... Nowadays, motors can work out their resource without any problems without the owner's headache in setting up the power unit systems.

However, this does not mean that motorists cannot benefit from the occasional diagnostics of the engine compartment. Today we will consider what exactly this process implies for modern gasoline car and how effective it is. You will be surprised how easy and inexpensive it is to improve engine performance.

Replacing spark plugs

The first item on the tuning checklist is replacing the engine spark plugs. Many cars today are equipped with "long-lasting" platinum or iridium spark plugs that last so long that it's easy to forget they wear out and even exist. These candles often fully work out their service life, and this is an impressive 100-160 thousand km. Surprisingly reliable things, especially considering the difficult conditions in which they "walk".

But as soon as their life cycle comes to an end, you will instantly feel a deterioration in the car's behavior.

The symptoms are as follows: difficult starting and slight loss of engine power. The candles need to be changed.


An example of a car that will be replacing spark plugs is a 2010 Mazda 3. On the car, it became necessary to replace the candles during the run 105,000 km .

Accessing spark plugs on some cars can be a real headache, so be sure to research the removal procedure on your vehicle before proceeding with replacement.

On a Mazda of this model and year, to get to the spark plugs, it was necessary to disconnect the car battery, remove the plastic engine cover and unscrew the set of ignition coils that are installed on top of the spark plugs.


Important! It is highly recommended to thoroughly clean the work area, especially in the spark plug wells, before removing the plugs. Powerful vacuum cleaner or spray can with compressed air suitable in order to quickly remove all dirt from hard-to-reach places... The last thing you want is sand or dust to get inside the engine during replacement.

We also draw attention to the fact that it will not be so easy to move those who have passed their term. Therefore, you need to unscrew them with the appropriate tool - a 16 ”wrench with a sufficiently long lever. However, after breaking off the candle, things will go much easier!


We unscrew the old candles.

With the old spark plugs removed, it's time to get new candles ready for use. Of course, the required type of candles must be purchased in advance.

Always check the gap on the spark plug before reinstalling it. The gap determines the temperature and spark intensity provided by the plug. An improperly set clearance can cause premature ignition, knock, or other engine problems. Of course, such a delicate technical point was exposed and checked at the plant, but it's worth double-checking.

Gap measuring device.

You can check the gap with an inexpensive device like the one shown above. Specifications for your vehicle's spark plug gap dimensions can be found in the owner's manual or table in engine compartment... If the measurement reveals that the gap is out of specification and out of specification, you can carefully adjust it by moving the ground electrode further or closer to the center electrode.

Platinum and iridium tipped plugs have brittle center electrodes that break easily if you try to awkwardly set the gap. Be careful!


However, we repeat, everything will probably be exhibited at the plant, so your intervention, most likely, will not be needed.

It's time to put candles in.

Some auto repair shops recommend using a small amount of anti-seize paste on the threads of the spark plug. In this case, it is important to ensure that the chemical composition does not fall into the area of \u200b\u200bthe central electrode, otherwise the candle will not work. However, other masters are also categorical in the opposite opinion.

The main cons are overtightening the spark plugs (anti-seize paste lubricates the threads and can change the torque value) and poor grounding from the engine cylinder head.


Screw in spark plugs by hand, take a torque wrench and tighten to specification. Look for specifications in the user manual or google. Don't have a torque wrench? Be sure to buy! A normal torque wrench can be taken already for 2-2.5 thousand rubles ... With him, you will never break delicate connections and will not be the unwitting initiator of a very troublesome and expensive refurbishment.


With the spark plugs properly tightened, you can replace the coils and engine trim cover. Leave the battery disconnected for the subsequent configuration steps.

Cost: depends on the quantity and quality of the spark plugs plus a torque wrench.

Cleaning the throttle valve

The next item in the list of settings is cleaning the case throttle... The throttle valve regulates the air supply to the gasoline engine; with the direct participation of this element, the air-fuel mixture is formed.


The damper, which opens and closes depending on how much gas you apply with the pedal, becomes significantly dirty over time. On the rear of the damper, facing the engine, over time, a film forms, and then a whole thick layer of "oil" deposits, which is mainly the fault of the engine ventilation system.

The greater the layer of oil on the damper, the worse its reaction to opening and closing the throttle, "hanging" after releasing the gas pedal. Rough work on idle will also be present among the symptoms.

And since cleaning the throttle valve is very rarely done by car manufacturers in routine maintenance, it is better to do it yourself. This is all the more easy when it comes to a mechanical drive.


When to clean? If the mileage of the car has exceeded 80 thousand km and you know that the damper has never been cleaned or, on the contrary, do not know if it was dismantled, we advise you to clean it.

Here's what you need to get started:

Throttle valve cleaner (you can use a regular cleaner)

Screwdriver

Spanners

Lint-free cloth or brush

New throttle body gasket (for replacement)

In order to thoroughly clean the part, it is necessary to remove the throttle body from the vehicle. This will require removing the rubber intake manifold, disconnecting some of the electrical plugs (depending on the model and year of the vehicle), and unscrewing a few bolts that hold the throttle body to the engine intake manifold. Depending on the vehicle, you may need to remove a pair of hoses from the throttle body.


This is not soot, this is a plaque. There should be no black "velvety" plaque

After removing the throttle body from the car, you will likely find a thick oily layer on one side of the throttle body, the other will be just dusty. Your goal is to remove all dirt from the inside of the case.

If there are electrical components on the throttle body, such as a drive motor, and you are concerned about splashing cleaner into the throttle body, simply spray it onto a rag and start wiping off the residue. This process may take a little longer, but it’s better to work a little longer than risk destroying expensive electrical components.


We gradually remove all plaque

Attention: make sure you are in a well-ventilated area when using the cleaner. It is a powerful chemical that, if inhaled, can faint and cause serious health damage. Latex gloves and safety goggles can also provide good protection.


As from the factory! Quite another matter!

All the dirt has been cleared, it's time to install the throttle body to the intake manifold using a new gasket. It is important to use a new rubber seal product to establish a tight connection.

Cost: 1000-2000 rubles.

Cleaning the mass air flow sensor, or MAF sensor

If your car is equipped with fuel injection, it will have either a mass air flow sensor or a pressure sensor.

Mass air flow sensor, also called MAF, is usually installed in the duct after the filter.

MAP, or intake manifold pressure sensor. It is easy to guess that this sensor measures the pressure in the manifold, calculating with the help of a computer how much air enters the car engine.

This information is used to determine the amount of fuel that must go into the cylinders. Thus, we are talking about critical sensors on which the quality of the engine depends.


The MAF sensor is easily accessible on this Mazda 3.

Both sensor types can become dirty over time, which will affect healthy engine performance.

Common symptoms: increased fuel consumption, sluggish start and acceleration.

Fortunately, cleaning these sensors is as easy as cleaning the throttle.

Mazda 3 is equipped with a mass air flow sensor, so we will clean it. To do this, take a cleaner for the mass air flow sensor (sold at auto parts stores).

Note that there are different types MAF sensors (DMRV) - not all of them look like the one in these photos.


Attention: be sure to research the best way to clean your particular UHF or MAP sensor before proceeding. Special precautions and / or cleaning agents may be required to avoid damage to the specific type of sensor used in the vehicle.

The MAF sensor on this vehicle is located in an easily accessible place, next to the air filter box. Disconnecting the electrical connector and removing two small screws is all that is required to disassemble the sensor.


In this type of MAF sensor, two parts need to be cleaned: the temperature sensor and the contacts leading to it. You can see that the temperature sensor has darkened on one side. We clean off the pollution.


Once the remaining spray is completely dry, the sensor will be able to function like new again. We put it back in the car, connect the car battery and start to be proud of ourselves. The car will perform better, and it's your credit!

Cost: 750 rubles.

Replacing the air filter

I'm sure you know that replacing an air filter is not difficult, but you will be really surprised to know how often this essential and ingeniously simple way to extend engine life and improve vehicle performance is ignored.

Your car's engine air filter can be both a lifesaver and a curse. Working at optimum performance, it traps dirt and other particulate matter, preventing them from entering the engine.

However, after 25-35 thousand km (depending on the car and operating conditions), the air filter will clog completely and will no longer allow enough air to pass through. The old dirty filter will literally "choke" the engine.


Qualitative air filters can be picked up at a reasonable price at any auto parts store. For many car models, it is not even necessary to unscrew something; it is enough to remove the filter box cover, which is often attached to clips. Many automakers specifically make the part available for replacement by the owner.


The only thing to pay attention to when replacing the filter element is the box in which you place the new one. The box will be dirty and dusty. Therefore, you should clean it from foreign particles before installing a new part. It is best to remove it for easy cleaning.

Cost: 1,000-2,000 rubles.

Feeling new


It can be argued that there are a huge number of other consumable parts, such as software controlled PCV valves (included in the system forced ventilation crankcase), spark plug wires, ignition coils, oxygen sensors and fuel filterswhich must also be replaced on time and which are extremely important in a modern car.

Carsharing appeared in Moscow six years ago, but its rapid development began in 2015, and in January of this year, thirteen companies were already operating in the capital, the fleet of which totals 6,700 cars! In the Moscow mayor's office, the capacity of this market is even estimated at 10-15 thousand. The operators themselves share this prospect, vying with each other to assure us of the benefits of this type of transport, because drivers do not need to spend money on fuel, spare parts and repairs: the companies themselves are engaged in the maintenance of carsharing machines. In addition, they can be parked for free. According to the mos.ru portal, more than one million users have already registered with the short-term car rental system, who made 5.6 million trips last year!

Tempting? But I didn't decide to become a car-sharing client right away. Frightened by the draconian fines from the operators for client misconduct. Only in the BelkaCar company last year they imposed fines for 26.9 million rubles! True, punishment for transferring a car to a third party leads among them, but evacuation and completion of a trip in a closed area are also among the three most popular violations. But there is not a word about dirty salons and broken parts of rented cars. So companies turn a blind eye to this? Now fine…

For the test, I chose five operators that are popular in Moscow - these are mass Delimobil and Car5, promoted by YouDrive and BelkaCar, as well as the EasyRide operator, which was the first to offer crossovers to users. Car sharing in Moscow now costs from five rubles per minute of travel. Which operator will be more reliable and the application more convenient?

EasyRide

Renault Kaptur: 9 rub / min in travel mode, 3 rub / min in standby mode.

After launching the application and clicking on the registration button, I suddenly find myself on a page with its end, where I am offered to put the necessary checkboxes in front of the lines with consent to data processing, with the terms of the contract and other formalities. Information about tariffs and penalties is provided as links on the same page - and no greetings or instructions. I am sending the documents and waiting for an answer with the results, but in vain: after three days he never came. The call to the company was also unsuccessful. And even by the time this article was published, the registration, which began back in 2017, had not been completed - and the reason for this was never explained to me. It seems that the company does not really need new clients, so the acquaintance with EasyRide had to be postponed.

Delimobil

Hyundai solaris, Renault Kaptur: 7 rubles / min at the Basic tariff and 8 rubles / min at the Fairy Tale tariff with zero responsibility in case of an accident, 2.5 rubles / min in standby mode.

The most ridiculous registration! The system forced me to subscribe to the tariff immediately. But wait, we're still strangers! What if I don't like the functionality of the application? In addition, in order to figure out which option is preferable, you have to read the fine print, delving into the differences in conditions. But in the list there is a tariff with zero liability in case of an accident. And the price is adequate: eight rubles per minute of using the car. I choose him.

I proceed to filling out the questionnaire, subconsciously noting the unfriendly layout of the application. I fill in the necessary information, wait for the next stage and ... fill in the required sections that suddenly appeared on the screen. And what about the treaty itself? On a smartphone, its text is displayed in small print - hardly any of the users have studied it to the end. Now I am not surprised by situations where disgruntled customers accuse a company of imposing fines they did not even know existed. And all it would be worthwhile to make a readable form of the contract.

According to the rules, the company will activate the user account within two days. But a day later I received only a request to provide a new, more "readable" photo. Then the security service demanded to print the contract, sign, scan and send a package of documents in a response letter: without this, the account will not start working. Finally, the next day, a confirmation came in the mail that my profile was verified and Delimobil could give me a car.

I didn't have to go far for it: the Hyundai Solaris carsharing was waiting for me under the windows of the editorial office. Having booked a car, I carefully examined it for damages in order to enter them in a special form and not pay fines for other people's faults later. The list is impressive! Detached pad rear bumper, damaged rear-view mirror housing, abrasions on the body, sagging front bumper, dent on the trunk lid ...

In the meantime, three free minutes for the examination ended and the standby mode was switched on with a tariff of 2.5 rubles per minute. But I have not yet looked into the salon! Having contacted the operator, just in case, I announced numerous damages, and the organization did not even know about some of them. In response, I was advised to send photos to the company's Telegram channel. It took ten minutes to inspect the car and negotiate.

Salon Solaris met with a layer of dust on the panel and dirty seats, but the sticky steering wheel turned out to be the most unpleasant - I had to use wet wipes.

Already when leaving the parking lot, it was discovered that brake pads have long been demanding replacement, which was clearly indicated by an unpleasant rattle. By the middle of the journey, the urge to wash my hands became more and more obsessive. Meanwhile windshield began to fog up treacherously, and the wiper blades froze. As it turned out, this was due to the fact that the operator followed a simple path and did not bother installing the engine start button, only gluing the key into the ignition lock. With time contact Group began to junk and therefore while driving the car disappeared and the stove, and the wipers, and "music". But thanks to some miracle, the motor continued to run. No, I don't need such a would-be car - after reaching the goal, I park the car and leave in search of a place where I can wash my hands.

The rental time is 51 minutes. The price of the trip is 411 rubles.

Having managed to say goodbye to the EasyRide operator ahead of schedule, I didn’t give up trying to rent a crossover. And just then Delimobil bought a batch of exactly the same renault cars Kaptur, like IziRide. Will they be able to rehabilitate the company in my eyes?

The state of the brand new crossover, of course, pleased, but it was not possible to start it, and at the end of the lease the car doors remained open. In the meantime, 50 rubles were debited from the account. Again it was not possible to sit down and drive, as the company promises ... Another call to the operator (I already got used to it) solved the problem: the system was restarted, and this time the engine start button worked. They promised to return the money to the account. After driving a very short distance in a fresh car and noting the interior that was not yet dirty, I parked the Kaptur and went to the editorial office with a sense of accomplishment.

The rental time is 15 minutes. The price of the trip is 168 rubles.

Youdrive

smart: 9 rub / min in Use mode, 2.5 rub / min in Parking mode.

BMW 218i Active Tourer: 14 rub / min in Use mode, 3.5 rub / min in Parking mode.

BMW i3: 17 rub / min, Parking mode is not provided.

The registration process turned out to be not at all complicated and intuitive. The system greeted me with slides with a greeting, offered to go through the instructions and did not find fault with the quality of selfies with documents taken the first time. The questionnaire turned out to be completely easy to fill out.

The company has a rating, and the higher it is, the more interesting cars you can rent. The starting level is the smart fortwo and forfour microcars. The booked car (I got the fortwo) was relatively clean on the outside - and absolutely licked on the inside. True, there was no plug on the front bumper, and in order to report this trouble, it took two minutes to tinker with the functionality mobile application: communication with the chatbot developed, to put it mildly, strange, and the system stubbornly gave out only the already entered information about the damage. And about such insignificant ones that you can't see without a tip!

Having managed to freeze near the smart due to a crash in the application, I was still able to get the operator's approval for the trip (when he received information about new damages) and put the car into rental mode. The small smart impressed with its maneuverability - this is what you need for short trips around the crowded city center.

The rental time is 16 minutes. The price of the trip is 129 rubles.

The company's car fleet also has more interesting cars, but access to them is open only to customers with a higher rating. And then I decided to take advantage of my official position and asked the company's press service to upgrade my account. Is it worth driving up minutes on smarts and accumulating a rating for the sake of the opportunity to rent, say, a compact van BMW 218i Active Tourer?

Worth it! I liked this experience of short-term rental transport the most. Firstly, despite the incomprehensible substance underfoot, the inside of the car was relatively clean, although the previous tenant left a started can of soda, paired with a crumpled napkin on the floor. Secondly, the car turned out to be very comfortable. Good smoothness, a fairly spacious interior, good dynamics - and such pleasant-looking orange scales in the corporate spirit of BMW. It was in this car that I finally got used to my "carsharing" mode, but unlike past experiences, I did not have to call the operator with complaints about damage.

The rental time is 72 minutes. The price of the trip is 644 rubles.

And now - the BMW i3! If the Active Tourer can be booked with a second user tier, then the unusual hybrid will only open to customers with tier five out of eight. To my chagrin, the ah-third turned out to be dirty. Finding no visible damage to the body, I tried to open the car, but to no avail. Due to the weak signal of the mobile Internet, the locks did not work. And if you need to go urgently? After a few minutes of walking around looking for a good signal, the doors opened.

Alas, the salon was not clean: the rugs were stained with footprints of previous tenants' shoes, and there was a crumpled rag in the cup holder. It is worth noting that I did not meet the free 20 minutes that are given to users to get to the car. By my arrival, the hybrid had already been in lease mode for four minutes and was "eating up" my hard-earned money: it is for this model that the Parking mode is not provided.

The journey was long, and during this time I managed to get used to the unusual traction control (only an electric motor drives the wheels!), And to the feeling of a huge space inside such compact car... So much so that excessive confidence played a cruel joke on me: I blinked the video recording camera, slightly exceeding speed mode, about which the operator subsequently informed me by e-mail with a request to pay a fine (with a 50 percent discount required by law). In short, if you are thinking of renting a BMW i3, be careful: after the first dose of electric mobility, you can get hooked. So I didn't want to say goodbye to the car, but the rental counter sobered me up.

The rental time is 54 minutes. The price of the trip is 921 rubles.

Car5

Datsun mi-DО: 5 rub / min in Travel mode, 2 rub / min in Standby mode.

The registration process went much faster than Delimobil's. But, having started it in the company's application, I had to continue via e-mail, where they sent a confirmation code. And I already began to get nervous, waiting for an SMS to my phone, as is customary in other companies. Nevertheless, the account was activated in the shortest possible time - literally within ten minutes.

In the morning I noticed a free Datsun mi-DO company Car5, which was located near the editorial office. To my surprise, the car stood in place for the entire first half of the day, which was confirmed by a fixed point with the location of the vehicle on the mobile phone screen. Is it really that unpopular service? But when I finally got to the car, everything became clear: the car does not have direction indicators on the front fenders, the threshold on the passenger side is jammed, and abrasions and scuffs are countless.

I called the operator to report the worthless condition of the car, and received the answer: "Take pictures of all the damage and send them to us by e-mail." In order not to get involved in such difficulties, I decided to find a similar, but serviceable car, and the trip took place. True, it was very short, because it was unpleasant to be in the middle of the scattered wrappers from curd cheeses and chocolates, napkins and other garbage. As a consolation - the lowest price of the trip.

The rental time is 15 minutes. The price of the trip is 75 rubles.

BelkaCar

Kia rio: 8 rub / min in Travel mode, 2 rub / min in Standby mode.

Mercedes CLA: 16 rub / min in Drive mode, 4 rub / min in Standby mode.

The operator greets the user with open arms: there is a preliminary navigator of the application functions, and clear explanations on the use of the program - all on the welcome slides. Photos of documents and selfies with them in Belka were successfully checked in one day.

After the cars of Delimobil and Car5 companies, I expected that other operators also do not pay attention to maintaining cleanliness in economy class cars. But salon Kia Rio turned out to be well-groomed, there was no dirt (and this is in winter), and in addition, the company took care of installing a charger for smartphones with three different connectors. The car was completely serviceable, the ride on it turned out to be pleasant - not to be compared with the Solaris of Delimobil, which is in the same "weight category".

The rental time is 38 minutes. The price of the trip is 301 rubles.

But it's time to move on next level tariffication. The same Belka offers mercedes sedans CLA. There are fewer premium cars from operators in the city than economical Kia and Solaris, and it took a couple of kilometers to rent a Mercedes. But the car was also clean. The salon also found charging device for mobile phones, brought out through the cup holder, and in the trunk there is a canister of washer fluid and a snow brush. Delimobil, Car5 and YouDrive have no such convenience.

Driving a Mercedes, of course, was more enjoyable than a Rio: the difference in class is obvious. And the phone was recharged during the journey. But the tariff is completely different: you have to pay for comfort.

The rental time is 19 minutes. The price of the trip is 295 rubles.

Is there any reason?

As a person who often travels to the center of the capital on business, which also requires you to look your best from time to time, I admit that a short-term car rental service can be useful in such cases. Let's say by car sharing instead of personal car can be used if you have to return home already as a passenger. Or if the potential cost of parking your car in the city center exceeds the cost of car sharing. True, this does not cancel the torment with the search for free space. Although the smart fortwo can do a good job in this situation: due to its compact size (length 2.69 m), it can be parked perpendicular to the sidewalk (if not prohibited by signs and road markings).

There are a lot of carsharing cars in the central part of Moscow - and it is not difficult to find a free one nearby. Although, for example, if you live in the very closest suburbs, then finding a car-sharing car turns into a problem: for example, in Mytishchi on Sunday morning there was not a single car, and the applications offered to get to the nearest cars by taxi.

Rent budget cars like Datsun or Solaris is acceptable - in many cases even cheaper than a taxi. Take, say, my trip on Datsun for 75 rubles: how long have you seen such a taxi bill? In addition, many do not want to contact taxi drivers, who are often rude and choose not the most profitable route. And behind the wheel of "car sharing" you are your own master.

Rent is much more expensive premium cars... But, oddly enough, the feeling of annoyance at the overpayment did not pursue me, and all thanks to the special atmosphere in these cars. And I seem to have begun to understand those customers who overpay for renting a Mercedes or BMW.

The understatement remained after talking with the BMW i3. Experiments of this kind, in which more than 1000 rubles will have to be paid for an hour of rent, are needed, apparently, for the sake of the experiments themselves, when you really want to try out an extravagant and expensive car. But the operator should better monitor the condition of such machines: dirt inside the cabin in such a situation is impermissible!

Car sharing operators are exaggerating a little when they say that short-term car rentals are almost a substitute for public transport. All my trips were more than 50 rubles. Although if you need to transfer from one type of transport to another, then car sharing can really become more profitable. But this is justified only if a “cheap” car-sharing car is found nearby, otherwise a walking walk a couple of kilometers long will nullify the advantage.

At the same time, there is no worse moment than when the user comes across a tired car. During a trip to this one, you involuntarily begin to regret choosing a car sharing. Taking out of the brackets the minutes of waiting during the protracted inspection of the Delimobilev Solaris, I count the expenses for calls to the operator, remember the ten-minute whistle around the car with a telephone camera and further torment on the road - and mourn the 400 rubles that I had to pay for such under-service. Considering the problems, albeit minor ones, with the Capture of the same operator, I deleted the unnecessary application from the phone memory without regret. EasyRide followed, which was never able to activate my account. But the number of operators in the city is growing: from October to December last year alone, five new companies were opened in the capital, and the online giant Yandex never tires of reminding users of the imminent launch of the service. Therefore, we will return to the topic of car sharing.

When I had a car, I never thought about how much it cost me. The car was constantly pulling money: gasoline, parking, rubber replacement, insurance, repairs. At some point, I counted all this and realized that it would be cheaper for me to travel by public transport and taxi.

A private car is beneficial if you need to travel a lot and far on a regular basis. It will be beneficial if you live outside the city or in remote areas of Moscow, and every day you have to wander around the city. But if your trips are irregular or if you live in a small town, then a private car is more expensive than a taxi! Yes, in small towns where taxis are cheap and the distances are short, there is no need to own a private car at all. you can easily do without a car by taking a taxi every day, and it will be more profitable!

It is clear that all my calculations are very arbitrary! Each person has his own routes, his own expenses. I tried to imagine and calculate several standard scenarios.

I will immediately answer some questions:

Yeah, will you take a taxi to the dacha too?
- It all depends on where the dacha is. My dacha is located 100 km from the center of Moscow, near Klin, a taxi trip there will cost about 2,000 rubles. In addition, for 2000 rubles a day you can rent a car-sharing car (Delimobil, Belka). Theoretically, you can find a driver and negotiate individually. It will still be cheaper than driving your own car.

But a car is freedom!
- In fact, this is an illusion of freedom. A car is a constant headache... Where to store? Where to put if you are leaving for a long time? You are tied to a parking spot. The routes are more convenient without a personal car. For example, if there is a traffic jam, you jumped into the subway, drove a couple of stations, got off, took a taxi and drove on. Etc.

In Moscow, the best-selling models in 2016 were Hyundai Solaris and Kia Rio. In Russia as a whole, they are joined by Lada granta... The first two models without discounts and promotions cost 650,000 - 700,000 rubles, Lada Granta - on average 400,000 - 450,000 rubles.

So, now we will calculate how much it costs to own an ordinary (that is, inexpensive) car for a Muscovite and for a non-Muscovite!

Let's imagine that we have a Muscovite who lives in the north-east of Moscow and drives a 2016 Solaris. He has a model with an automatic transmission and a 1.6 liter engine, which consumes 9.3 liters per 100 km in the urban cycle. Need gasoline with octane number not lower than 92nd. Let's say our driver chooses average quality fuel, AI-95. In Moscow today it costs more than 39 rubles almost everywhere.

Our Muscovite lives in the Torfyanka Park area, at 1 on Magadanskaya Street, and he works somewhere on Sukharevka, say, in Daev Lane. It is 14 kilometers one way. Agree, not the greatest distance for Moscow.

He makes at least 28 km a day. Taking into account all trips on other matters, attempts to bypass traffic jams, arrivals to shops, cafes, etc. this distance easily grows to 40 km per day, and this is the minimum. On Sunday, our Muscovite is at home all day (0 km), and on Saturday or Friday evening he goes to the dacha / out of town / to the outskirts for food. So let the car drive 60 km over the weekend. In total, we get 260 km per week.

We have 52 weeks a year, that is, the car's mileage will already be 13,520 km. This is 135.2 times 100 km. Thus, a car in the urban cycle will eat at least 135.2 * 9.3 \u003d 1257 liters of gasoline per year. It will cost the car owner 49,000 rubles.

Now to other items of expenditure.

In 2016, Moscow earned more than 17.5 billion rubles from parking lots and fines. In total, about 5.6 million cars are registered in the capital. This means that the average motorist in the capital spends about 31,250 rubles a year on parking and fines. Let's round up to 30 thousand.

Transport tax on his 123 hp Solaris. will be 3075 rubles... The CTP policy will cost him at least 10,000 rubles in year.

Depreciation. "Solaris" of the same generation, but 2014 release now costs less than 500 thousand rubles. That is, in three years the car has dropped in price by 200 thousand, let it be 65 000 in year.

Since the car is new, the cost of a technical inspection and a new kit summer tires can be neglected. But you still have to buy winter tires, this is at least 12,000 rubles. After a maximum of three years of use, it will have to be changed, that is, in a year it 4000 rubles.

Tire fitting (2 times a year) and tire repair in case of a puncture will cost 5000 rubles in year. Added to this is the cost of the car wash. A complex car wash in Moscow costs from 1000 rubles, that is, it will take at least a year 12,000 rubles.

Maintenance Hyundai Solaris 2016 costs 8730 rubles. for the first year, 12 437 p. for the second and 8 730 p. for the third. On average, about 10,000 rubles in year.

Accidents, breakdowns, traffic jams (and excessive fuel consumption), as well as inexpensive consumables such as oil and anti-freeze, we do not take into account (and it is difficult to calculate). Only the bare minimum.

The minimum cost of owning a budget car in Moscow (rubles per year):

65,000 - depreciation;
49,000 - gasoline;
30,000 - parking lots and fines;
12,000 - car wash;
10,000 - OSAGO (for a year);
10,000 - maintenance;
5000 - "overfitting" of tires;
4000 - winter tires;
3000 - tax;

Total: 188,000 rubles.

It turns out that the owner of a new economy-class car that does not get into an accident, does not break down, does not violate and almost does not stand in traffic jams, spends at least 188,000 rubles a year on it in Moscow, or more than 15,000 a month. In fact, the annual amount will most likely tend to 200 000 .

By the way, paid parking immediately dramatically increases the cost of car ownership. Parking at the place of work of our hypothetical Muscovite, on Daev Lane, would cost him at least 760 rubles a day. This is 3800 rubles. a week or almost 200 thousand a year! But here you can be sure that our driver will either park in some yard, or simply cover the number with a piece of paper and significantly save on it.

Now imagine that the same driver spends money not on a car, but on public transport and a taxi.

Even if he takes a taxi to and from work every day, it will take him 4000-5000 rubles a week, that is, about 208,000 - 260,000 rubles... An annual single travel pass would cost him 18,200 rubles. If he took a taxi from home to the metro, it would cost him 250 rubles a day, or 1,250 a week, 65,000 a year. We add up with the price of a metro pass and we get 83,200 rubles... Can be rounded up to 100,000 if you factor in the unexpected taxi costs. You could even add another 20,000 for a taxi on the weekend. We get 120 000 , and still it will be one and a half times cheaper than owning an economy class car.

Moscow car sharing costs 8 rubles per minute. To get from Magadanskaya 1 to Daev lane, you need to spend 40 minutes in traffic jams or 23 minutes without traffic jams. Let's take the average, that's 32 minutes. A trip by car-sharing car will cost 256 rubles. This, by the way, is much cheaper than taking a taxi. Our driver will spend 512 rubles per day, and 2560 per week for commuting to work. Costs for car sharing per year will be 133,000 rubles.

It is not advisable to use car sharing for other types of trips, because traffic jams in Moscow are quite unpredictable. In addition, there is an obvious problem: there may simply not be a car-sharing car near the house. We compensate for these disadvantages with the help of additional taxi costs - a total of about 160 000 .

Consider cars in the next price category - cars costing around 1 million rubles. In the Top 25 in sales for 2016 in Russia, this bar is approached Skoda Octavia and Nissan Qashqai.

Let's take an average Skoda with a gun and gasoline engine volume of 1.4 liters and 150 hp. (1,177,000 rubles) or a simple "Nissan" with a continuously variable variator and an engine capacity of 1.2 liters and 115 hp. (1,123,000 rubles). The first fuel consumption in the urban cycle will be 6.9 liters per 100 km, the second - 9.2 liters.

Obviously, they will eat less gasoline. If they cover the same distance as the Solaris driver (13,520 km per year), the owner of the Skoda will spend about 36,000 rubles on fuel per year, and the Nissan - 48,500. Let's round up to 40 000 .

A similar Nissan Qashqai 2014 will cost about 950,000 rubles. In three years, the car will lose 173,000 rubles in price, this 58,000 per year... Skoda has a difference between new car and a three-year period is significantly longer, this is due to the recent price increase. Rounding off annual depreciation to 60 000 .

Since the car costs more than a million, the driver will most likely prefer to add "Casco" to the MTPL. Such insurance will cost 43,000 rubles. Transport tax on Skoda will be higher due to more powerful engine (5250 rubles against 2850 rubles). Let the average be 4000.

Maintenance "Nissan" will cost 8600 rubles. for the first and third years and 18,700 rubles. for the second, on average comes out about 12 000 in year.

The minimum cost of owning a car at a price of 1 million rubles in Moscow (rubles per year):

60,000 - depreciation;
43,000 - "Casco" + OSAGO (for a year);
40,000 - gasoline;
30,000 - parking lots and fines;
12,000 - maintenance;
12,000 - car wash;
5000 - "overfitting" of tires;
4000 - winter tires;
4000 - tax;

Total: 210,000 rubles.

Of cars of an even higher price category, the Top 25 in sales include Toyota Camry and Toyota RAV4. They cost from 1.5 million rubles in a simple configuration.

Take, for example, a Camry with a 2.0-liter engine (150 hp) and a 6-speed automatic transmission. It will cost 1,557,000 rubles. Fuel consumption in the urban cycle is 10 liters per 100 km.

Here 53 000 will go only for gasoline, insurance "Casco" + OSAGO and tax - another 37,000, plus maintenance in the region of 10,000. The most expensive car in 2014 in a similar configuration costs 1.2 million rubles. That is, depreciation will be more than 100,000 rubles in year!

The minimum cost of owning a car at a price of 1.5 million rubles in Moscow (rubles per year):

100,000 - depreciation;
53,000 - gasoline;
32,000 - "Casco" + OSAGO;
30,000 - parking lots and fines;
12,000 - car wash;
10,000 - maintenance;
5000 - "overfitting" of tires;
5000 - tax;
4000 - winter tires;

Total: 251,000 rubles.

It is difficult to calculate everything with more expensive cars, there too much depends on the equipment. Usually, people who buy cars more expensive than 2 million do not skimp on gasoline and so on (unless they modestly hang the number on a paid parking lot with a piece of paper), and we are talking about saving.

But we can assume that when buying expensive car harder to guess with depreciation. Most likely, most of the annual costs will fall on this column (unless it is a luxury car of a limited series, which will only get more expensive over time).

What do we get in the end? As you can see from the infographics, you can save a lot even if you drive around Moscow only in carsharing cars and taxis. If you combine taxi and car sharing with public transport, it turns out even cheaper. In Moscow, there is some sense in buying a budget car, but only if you drive along strictly set routes all the time. The slightest deviation from the norm - and you start to overpay.

Now let's look at an example of a driver in our beloved Tula!

He decided to save a little on the car, so he will not drive a "Korean", but the pride of the domestic car industry, Lada Granta in the middle configuration and with a gun. Such a car now costs about 500,000 rubles. Fuel consumption in the urban cycle - 9.9 liters, gasoline - not less than 95th.

To somehow justify owning a car in a city like Tula, let's imagine that our driver lives somewhere on the outskirts, but works in the center. Let's say he needs to travel from house number 13 along Pushkin Street in the village of Kosaya Gora to Pushkinskaya Street, but already in Tula itself. It is 10 kilometers.

It turns out 20 km a day to work and back, add to this 5 km for other needs. On weekends, the car drives around in the same way as a Muscovite: one day it rests, the next makes a double distance (50 km). In total, the car drives 175 km per week.

The mileage will be 9100 km per year. This will take 900 liters of gasoline at a price of 39 rubles / liter (fuel prices in Moscow and Tula are almost the same), in total you will have to spend 35 100 rubles.

Now for amortization. Lada Granta with automatic transmission 2014 costs an average of 330,000 rubles. For three years the car has lost 170,000 rubles in price. Even if you drop to 160 thousand, the depreciation will be at least 55,000 per year.

If we assume that we are dealing with a conscientious driver who spends as much as 80 rubles a day on paid parking in Tula, then this is an additional 20,800 rubles a year. But we cannot yet take them into account, because no one pays for parking in Tula) Let's say that a Tula spends in total on fines and parking 10,000 rubles in year.

OSAGO will cost 7500 rubles, winter tires - in the same 12 thousand (or 4000 per year), transport tax will be 2700 rubles... Re-shoeing tires 2 times a year - 4 thousand more.

Car wash - about 600 rubles per month, at least a year 7200 .

Lada Granta costs 3700 rubles. for the first year of operation, 4900 p. for the second and 3700 for the third. Average - 4100 per year.

The minimum cost of owning a budget car in Tula (rubles per year):

55,000 - depreciation;
35,000 - gasoline;
10,000 - parking lots and fines;
7500 - OSAGO (for a year);
7200 - car wash;
4100 - maintenance;
4000 - "overfitting" of tires;
4000 - winter tires;
2700 - tax;

Total: 133,500 rubles.

In total, our Tula will spend about 133,000 rubles on a car for each of the first three years of ownership, and subsequently the cost of ownership will only grow rapidly. In fact, the annual costs will be about 150,000.

A taxi ride from Pushkin 13 to Pushkinskaya 13 costs 160 rubles one way, or 320 rubles a day. it 83,200 rubles in year. That is, even if our Tula is chic and takes a taxi to work every day, it will still be cheaper than owning a budget car. Taking into account the taxi costs on the weekend, you can round up to 100 000 ... But why then do you need the hassle of insurance, technical inspections, changing shoes, traffic jams, finding a parking lot and everything else, if you can just always take a taxi and spend only money, not money, along with nerves and time? And at the same time save up to 50,000 rubles a year.

And also our driver could get from the place of residence to the place of work on the 28th bus and spend 30 rubles a day on this with a pass, or 7800 rubles in year.

What kind of freedom are you talking about? A car is just an extra expense and a headache, that's all.

It turns out that in a city like Tula, a car is not needed at all. In Moscow, it makes sense to take a budget car for regular long-distance trips, but you will pay extra for it with every turn in the wrong direction and every day it gets older.

If we look at other cities, it turns out that the smaller the city, the greater the gap between the cost of owning your car and the annual taxi "subscription". It turns out that a car is really a luxury. Even if you drive carefully, do not spend money on repairs and do not incur any additional costs, the slightest mistake will instantly increase the cost of using it. A fine, an accident, a hole in the road - and you will not meet the minimum.

So in our cities, public transport in combination with a taxi and (for Moscow and St. Petersburg) car sharing can easily replace a private car.

Calculate how much you spend on a car per year and compare that to how much you would spend on taxis and public transport! Tell us in the comments what happened.

Yes, in fact, almost without everyone

Exceptions can be mirrors, window panes, seat covers and braid on the steering wheel. Without them, the car will start and go. But there are also such details that are definitely necessary, because the car cannot run without them. And the battery belongs to such details. Of course, it is needed not only in cars, but also in phones, cameras, and so on. That is, it is a device that accumulates (accumulates) energy, and then gives it to the device for which it was created. It is clear that in different types of devices and batteries are also different, but now we will talk about a specific one - automobile.

Those who want to buy a battery for a car do not even know how much interesting information can be found about it.

And what information are we going to discuss?

So, for example, does everyone know that the basis for the battery was created by Alessandro Volta back in 1800? He realized that copper and zinc plates connected by wires, immersed in acid, create a flow of electricity. But after such a discovery, it took the researcher almost two more years for the battery to appear in mass production... It was a very primitive battery, of course, but it worked. It consisted of two sheets (zinc and copper), soldered at the ends and immersed in a wooden box filled with sea water or acid.

Another one interesting fact Is the creation of a battery that could be recharged. It was invented by Gaston Planté, and it was in 1859. The composition of such a battery was different from that of Volta: lead plates acted as electrodes, and sulfuric acid served as the electrolyte.

Well, a little about modern car batteries

There are many rules in their operation that it is impossible to list everything in a small note. But it can be noted that it is not worth changing the battery when the engine is running, because this can lead to a disorder in the operation of the entire car. And one more important rule is that it will not work to warm up the battery in winter, no matter how hard you try. And even a new one can sit down. In cold weather, you just need to periodically remove and charge it.