Q. I bought a low mileage Chrysler LeBaron convertible with the “woody” kit from Florida. The elderly lady who had it hadn’t driven it in the past few years. The problem is that one side of the wood decal is blistered and faded. I have searched everywhere trying to find the wood kit, but have had no success. I finally used contact paper, but it just doesn’t stand up. Do you have any suggestions?

P.S. I bought my “woody” before George Costanza made these cars famous!

A. To the best of my knowledge the wood kits are no longer available. You could try two things. You could have a talented airbrush painter paint the panels to look like wood. The other alternative is to have a decal applied. I spoke with the folks over at Graphic Innovations in Providence ( www.graphin.com) and they told me they could easily produce a wood-grain decal. Graphic Innovations did the vehicle wrap on the AAA traffic safety van and it has been holding up quite well.

Leaky car? See an expert

Q. Is there any way to stop water from leaking into a 1996 Chevrolet Beretta Z26? My daughter has a constant problem with water gathering in the rear floor wells and in the armrest wells. I have brought the car to several body shops and mechanics to no avail.

A. Many body shops will use leak specialists. These technicians seem to know all the tricks to finding and repairing water leaks. You might also try a glass shop; they tend to deal with water leaks as well. I have even seen some technicians use ultrasonic testers and smoke machines to pinpoint leaks. As a side note: If the car has a sunroof, make sure the sunroof drain is not clogged or damaged. These drains could also be a source of the leak.

Lousy gas mileage

Q. An article The Providence Journal ran last summer sealed the deal on my decision to lease a 2009 Subaru Forester. One of my motivations for switching from a Volvo S60 was gas mileage. Subaru advertises 20 in the city and 26 on the highway, but the best I am getting is 12.3 miles per gallon in the city and at best 19 miles per gallon on the highway. My dealer just keeps saying the car needs to break in; it only has 2,000 miles on it. As you know, leases lock you in, yet this seems like totally fraudulent advertising. With gas prices climbing yet again, and with a mind toward conservation, I would appreciate any information that might alter my situation.

A. It is not usual for a new engine to take up to 5,000 miles before the fuel economy stabilizes. Over this past fall I drove a Forester and in a combination of mostly highway mileage, I averaged 24 miles per gallon. At this point I would let the miles add up and recheck the mileage once the car has reached 5,000-6,000 miles. If the fuel economy is still low at that point, ask the dealer to perform a fuel mileage test.

Intermittent starting

Q. I have a 2003 Saturn Ion. When it is 35 degrees or less, the car starts right up in the morning, but when the temperature rises in the afternoon, and I go to start it again, the engine will not crank over (but everything else works). I have to wait up to 15 minutes before the engine starts! What can I do? Help!

A. Intermittent problems are always the most difficult to diagnose and repair. Historically, the most common problem is that the ignition switch malfunctions. The ignition switch incorporates part of the antitheft system. When the switch wears, the antitheft system interprets this as an attempted theft and prevents the car from starting.

Check hose, then fuse

Q. I have a 1997 VW GTI. The check-engine light came on and the code was PO 411. Is this a major repair or something my local mechanic can fix? What is the best way to remedy the problem? Also, once the code was cleared, it stayed off for two days then came back on. Will this affect the engine?

A. The code indicates a problem with the secondary air system that lowers vehicle emissions. There are two areas to look at; the first is a vacuum hose that runs to a solenoid. The second problem could be a fuse. This fuse is located behind the left front headlight.

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