Read Dear Playboy Advisor: Questions From Men and Women to the Advice Column of Playboy Magazine for Free Online
Authors: Chip Rowe
Lamborghini? How about a Ferrari?—L.K., San Diego, California
This is America—you can rent anything. Hertz offers Jaguars and Lincolns in 50 cities; Avis has Cadillacs. Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car (bhrentacar.com or 800-479-5996), which supplies the movie industry, will rent you a Rolls Royce convertible or Ferrari Modena 360 Spyder for $3,500, a Lamborghini Diablo VT or Bentley Azure for $2,800, a 1966 Cadillac DeVille for $550, Maserati Spyder GT for $950, or, if you’re on a budget, a Hummer H2 for $350, a Jaguar XK8 for $400 or a Porsche Boxster for $300. What it won’t do is sell you insurance, meaning you’ll need your own coverage (this isn’t a good way to practice for your stunt-driver career) and the Beverly Hills agency requires that you have $20,000 free on your credit card to take the priciest cars. Many cities have agencies that specialize in high-end vehicles; search online for “exotic car rental.” If you’re ready for a long-term relationship, Exoticcarshare.com (847-358-7522), sells shares in fancy wheels. You can own one-fifth of a Lamborghini Murcielago, for example, for $25,000 plus an annual fee of $15,000, which covers maintenance, insurance, storage and the cost of delivery and pick-up anywhere in the continental U.S. (The company is based near Chicago.) Your share gives you seven weeks alone with the Lamborghini each year—two in the spring, three in the summer and two in the fall. Or pay $60,000 plus the annual fee to own an equity share, which allows you to receive at least $25,000 back when the car is sold after three years.
How often should I change the oil?
Oil companies, automakers and mechanics say to change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months. I’ve always thought that was just a ploy to get more business. Am I right?—C.O., San Mateo, California
There’s no grand conspiracy; 3,000 miles is considered the minimum for vehicles subjected to “severe driving.” That’s the industry term for stop-and-go traffic, idling for prolonged periods and short trips. There are other factors to consider, such as climate. If you live in Miami, which has high heat and humidity, or endure the extremes of Chicago, it’s wise to have the oil changed by the book. If you live in a milder spot such as southern California, you may be able to go 5,000. If you’re using a synthetic oil, you can wait 6,000 to 7,500 miles.
What about the car’s other fluids?—A.H., Dallas, Texas
Providing hard and fast rules is difficult because so much depends on the make of your vehicle and how often and how far you drive. MotorWatch.com tried to establish guidelines by creating a chart that outlines intervals for severe and normal driving. It immediately drew criticism from the site’s 48-member technical committee, with advisors representing automakers who say the intervals should be longer and mechanics who insist they should be shorter. The guidelines state that drivers who generally make trips of 10 miles or less in each direction should have their coolant/antifreeze changed every two years or 24,000 miles (whichever comes first) with conventional coolant and every three years or 36,000 miles with long-life. Brake fluid should be changed every two years or 24,000 miles on cars with antilock brakes and every three years or 36,000 miles on vehicles without them. Power-steering fluid should be changed every three years or 36,000 miles. Transmission fluid should be changed on automatics every three years or 36,000 miles and every 10 years or 100,000 miles on manuals. If most of your trips are longer, you can wait three years instead of two (or 36,000 miles instead of 24,000), or five years instead of three (60,000 miles instead of 36,000) for fluid changes. If you’re driving a mix of short and long distances, the intervals are somewhere in between.
Breaking a lease
Is there any way to get out of an auto lease early?—G.J., Detroit, Michigan
Just ask the dealer nicely. No go?
This is America—you can rent anything. Hertz offers Jaguars and Lincolns in 50 cities; Avis has Cadillacs. Beverly Hills Rent-a-Car (bhrentacar.com or 800-479-5996), which supplies the movie industry, will rent you a Rolls Royce convertible or Ferrari Modena 360 Spyder for $3,500, a Lamborghini Diablo VT or Bentley Azure for $2,800, a 1966 Cadillac DeVille for $550, Maserati Spyder GT for $950, or, if you’re on a budget, a Hummer H2 for $350, a Jaguar XK8 for $400 or a Porsche Boxster for $300. What it won’t do is sell you insurance, meaning you’ll need your own coverage (this isn’t a good way to practice for your stunt-driver career) and the Beverly Hills agency requires that you have $20,000 free on your credit card to take the priciest cars. Many cities have agencies that specialize in high-end vehicles; search online for “exotic car rental.” If you’re ready for a long-term relationship, Exoticcarshare.com (847-358-7522), sells shares in fancy wheels. You can own one-fifth of a Lamborghini Murcielago, for example, for $25,000 plus an annual fee of $15,000, which covers maintenance, insurance, storage and the cost of delivery and pick-up anywhere in the continental U.S. (The company is based near Chicago.) Your share gives you seven weeks alone with the Lamborghini each year—two in the spring, three in the summer and two in the fall. Or pay $60,000 plus the annual fee to own an equity share, which allows you to receive at least $25,000 back when the car is sold after three years.
How often should I change the oil?
Oil companies, automakers and mechanics say to change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months. I’ve always thought that was just a ploy to get more business. Am I right?—C.O., San Mateo, California
There’s no grand conspiracy; 3,000 miles is considered the minimum for vehicles subjected to “severe driving.” That’s the industry term for stop-and-go traffic, idling for prolonged periods and short trips. There are other factors to consider, such as climate. If you live in Miami, which has high heat and humidity, or endure the extremes of Chicago, it’s wise to have the oil changed by the book. If you live in a milder spot such as southern California, you may be able to go 5,000. If you’re using a synthetic oil, you can wait 6,000 to 7,500 miles.
What about the car’s other fluids?—A.H., Dallas, Texas
Providing hard and fast rules is difficult because so much depends on the make of your vehicle and how often and how far you drive. MotorWatch.com tried to establish guidelines by creating a chart that outlines intervals for severe and normal driving. It immediately drew criticism from the site’s 48-member technical committee, with advisors representing automakers who say the intervals should be longer and mechanics who insist they should be shorter. The guidelines state that drivers who generally make trips of 10 miles or less in each direction should have their coolant/antifreeze changed every two years or 24,000 miles (whichever comes first) with conventional coolant and every three years or 36,000 miles with long-life. Brake fluid should be changed every two years or 24,000 miles on cars with antilock brakes and every three years or 36,000 miles on vehicles without them. Power-steering fluid should be changed every three years or 36,000 miles. Transmission fluid should be changed on automatics every three years or 36,000 miles and every 10 years or 100,000 miles on manuals. If most of your trips are longer, you can wait three years instead of two (or 36,000 miles instead of 24,000), or five years instead of three (60,000 miles instead of 36,000) for fluid changes. If you’re driving a mix of short and long distances, the intervals are somewhere in between.
Breaking a lease
Is there any way to get out of an auto lease early?—G.J., Detroit, Michigan
Just ask the dealer nicely. No go?
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