by Bob Mayberry, California Central Coast Rgn of PCA.

Mike Mansolino (Zone 8 Rep) passed on an email regarding cell phones and cars.
No. Not use while driving rather the little critters ringing while refueling.
Here is the content of that email:

Hi all:
Please pass this along.
Many have already read about this, but it can't do any harm to enforce the message.
All the best,
Mike
Subject: Fw: Cell Phone Danger
Cell phones
The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones)
ignited fumes during fueling operations. In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's
trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.
In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call
> while refueling their car.
> > And in the third, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which
> was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.
> > > You should know that:
> > > Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes. Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring
> release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition. Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations,
> or when fueling lawn mowers, boat! Etc.
> > Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or
> explosive fumes or dust, i.e. solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.)
> > To sum it up, here are the: Four Rules for Safe Refueling
> > 1) Turn off engine
> > 2) Don't smoke
> > 3) Don't use your cell phone - leave it inside the vehicle or turn it off
> > 4) Don't re-enter your vehicle during fueling Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working
> on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of "static electricity" at gas pumps. His
> company has researched 150 cases of these fires.
> > > His results were very surprising:
> > 1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
> > 2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping
> gas, when finished and they went back to pull the nozzle out the fire started, as a result of static.
> > 3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
> > 4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom
> involved in these types of fires.
> > 5) Don't ever use cell phones when pumping gas.
> > 6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
> > 7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was reentered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a
> variety of makes and models. Some resulting in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and
> to the customer.
> > 8) Seventeen fires that occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before
> fueling began.
> > Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas.
> > If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the
> door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the static from your body will be
> discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.
> > As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are
> really trying to make the public aware of this danger.You can find out more information by going to
> http://www.pei.org/ . Once here, click in the center of the screen where it says "Stop Static".
> > I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in
> the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the
> children out in time.Thanks for passing this along.
>

by Bob Mayberry, California Central Coast Rgn of PCA.

We drive a '99 Boxster. During an oil change at VPA, Richard did (among other things) a check of several vital areas.
While doing so, he says Ah Hah! Whereby he went and retreived on of his Very Short Length Measurers,
with which he measured the thickness of one of the Boxster's front Brake Rotors.
Then following some short research, he begins to relate the cost of brake pads AND front ROTORS.
O.K., with a lot of use one would expect to have to replace rotors sometime.
I've autocrossed this car maybe 8 times since we bought it. We bought it with 12,000 miles on the O.D.
Other than that the car is driven "fairly" normally. Well, at least we don't ride the brakes.
The car now has 30,000+ miles on the O.D.
Now I replaced the brakes on our '86 Carrera (pads only) at about 30,000 miles,
and when the Carrera left our home, it still had those brakes on it, in good shape, and the rotors had never been changed.
At that point the car had 96,000 miles on it.
Now who would have ever thought the disk brake rotors on our '99 would need to be replaced at 30,000?
CERTAINLY NOT I!

SO, in summary, be sure to check or have checked, your brakes.
That is; pads, rotors, even wheel bearings if it's been awhile.