Put your fingers in your ears the next time he starts talking to you. Is my buddy right? Or are things different now?ĭEAR ED: Your buddy has his headlight firmly implanted in his taillight socket. My buddy specializes in hot rod cars from the 1970s and '80s, so I think that is affecting his thinking about today's cars. I know that taking too many short trips can cause problems with the engine not getting hot enough, but most of my trips are in the 15- to 20-mile range.

He says this is especially true with a turbo engine, as you need to 'make the turbo howl' every once in a while.

He says driving the way I do does not let the engine get hot enough, and I need to periodically 'put the pedal to the metal' in order to 'blow out the carbon.' My buddy, who is a mechanic, says that I drive my car too gently. I don't drive like a grandma, but I tend to drive a little on the easy side in order to maximize my gas mileage. I love the car and it gets great gas mileage. DEAR CAR TALK: I own a 2013 Chevy Sonic with a turbo engine.

2013 chevy sonic engine