What you need to know about extended life antifreeze It's time to check your antifreeze. And if you own a GM car or truck, be certain you buy the right antifreeze. Because General Motors began using aluminum water pumps halfway through the 1996 model year, they equipped these models with DEXCOOL, their brand of antifreeze. Prestone Extended Life is compatible with DEXCOOL and offers protection for a minimum of five years or 150,000 miles. While other car makers will probably follow suit with their own rendition of extended-life coolants, the orange stuff is only for GM models. Do you need extended life antifreeze? The easy way to determine whether you need Prestone Extended-life or not, is by checking the antifreeze. It will either be orange (Prestone Extended Life) or green (conventional). When you check, remember not to remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot. Antifreeze gets very hot and the radiator holds a lot of pressure that can cause serious injury. Use conventional coolant in a system that has previously used it. You´ll be disappointed if you try to use Prestone Extended Life for other vehicles to reap the benefits - you´ll just pay more for a product that doesn't offer extended coolant life. Use conventional coolant in a system that has previously used conventional coolant. If it came from the factory with extended life antifreeze, use it for more benefits. On the same note, it´s important to use DEXCOOL or its equivalent if your car came with DEXCOOL from the factory. Using regular coolant voids the extended protection warranty. And you'll also have to start flushing and refilling the cooling system every two years - even if you switch back to using the orange antifreeze.

FOUR STEPS TO WASH & WAX

1. Wash (2 to 3 times per month) Use a soap designed for cars. Laundry soaps and dish soaps are too harsh and can dull paint or leave streaks. Dish soap contains a degreaser which can strip the wax. Avoid washing in the sun. Hard-to-remove spots may appear on the paint as water dries instantly on a hot car.

2. Pre-clean or Surface Prep (1 ­ 2 times per year - before extreme temperatures) Pre-clean to remove tree sap, bugs or tar or the effects of acid rain. Check that the product works with either clear coat and non-clear coat paints.You don't have to pre-clean every time you wash, but if you pre-clean, you do need to wax since it strips the wax.

3. Wax/Polish (3 ­ 4 times per year) Wax to protect your vechicle´s paint. All wax will go on more easily if the car has been pre-cleaned. For best shine and protection, pre-clean before waxing.