Car Tips and Information Every Car Owner Should Know

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Taking Your Car in for Repair? - Before taking your car in for repairs check our website for questions pertaining to your car repair, and gain as much free additional information as possible. The more information you can acquire the more intelligent you can be when car repairs are needed. The repair shop should inspect your car and estimate repairs before beginning the work. The shop must provide a written or verbal estimate and the final bill cannot be more than 10% higher than the original estimate. Always ask to see the damaged or worn parts at the time the work order is placed. Have the repair shop give you the damaged/worn-out parts in the box the new replacement parts came in to ensure quality. Always insist on factory OE parts (amazingly there are many car part manufacturers that produce sub-standard replacement parts) original manufacturer parts offer better usability and durability. If you are un-sure of the reason the part must but replaced ask the technician to show you the specific damage and why the part has failed. Also, ask how long the repair shop will warranty the repair and if the warranty covers labor on the part if it fails prematurely. It never hurts to get a second opinion, once you have received the first estimate try checking around at a few shops and the dealer to make an informed choice.

Getting the most from your gas? - It is no secret gas prices are up and putting a big pinch on our pocket books. Car maintenance and driving habits significantly affect fuel economy.  Here are a few tips to help you get the most for your buck.  First, check the air pressure in your car's tires.  Most vehicle tire pressure recommendations are located on a sticker in the driver's door jam or on the side wall of the tire.  While tire and car manufacturers recommend a prescribed tire pressure, it has been shown that slightly more tire pressure is optimal for achieving higher fuel economy by reducing rolling resistance.  Some hybrid cars are manufactured with tires that can hold up to 55 P.S.I. as compared with the usual 32 P.S.I. For safety and better gas mileage always keep your tires properly inflated. Next, analyze your driving habits. Do you take off quickly from a stop? Try easing into the throttle and allow the vehicle to accelerate slowly.  Observe the traffic and signals in front of you. If a stop is imminent release the gas pedal and allow the car to coast the remainder of the distance before using the brakes. Proper maintenance of your car's engine is essential for optimum performance. If your engine is misfiring it will decrease mileage. If the engine oil and filter changes have been neglected it will cause additional friction inside the engine and hinder the performance and gas mileage.  Finally, remove all un-necessary objects from the car, added weight can decease mileage also inspect your engine service records and perform a tune up or oil change as recommended. Following these gas saving tips can increase your mileage and save you money.

Flat tire on freeway - A flat tire on the freeway or any other busy highway can be very dangerous. There are mainly two kinds of flat tires, either the tire is very low on air or the tire is already flat and beginning to fall apart. In the first condition (tire very low on air) you have a chance to get off the freeway to a safe place where you can change the tire or wait for service. In the second case (flat and falling apart) it is best not to worry about saving the tire, your main objective is to get to the freeway off-ramp or to a safe place where you can change the tire or wait for service. The car will have more rolling resistance but it will continue moving on the flat tire, proceed very slowly and use caution. When pulling off the road to a safe place make sure your car is as far off the road and away from traffic as possible. Most of the time when a tire is run very low on air the inner layers of the tire will breakdown and render the tire useless anyway. If there isn't an off-ramp nearby or a safe place to stop, pull the car to the side of the road as far away from traffic as possible,  when you can safely exit the car, walk as far away from traffic as possible to a more protected area. Don't get hung up on the idea that you need to save the tire.  Far too many times people try to save a sixty five dollar tire and end up getting seriously injured or worse in the process.

Don't be fooled by the "low ball bid" - Some repair shops and dealers practice the low ball bid method of business to get you in the door this is how it works. Let's say you call in for a radiator replacement and you get a low bid, it sounds good but what is really happening on the other end of the phone is the service writer is planning on hitting you with job add-on's. EXAMPLE: The phone is ringing... Mrs. Johnson... I have bad news, your cooling system needs to be flushed, the thermostat is shot and your water pump is leaking... I'm sorry your car is already in pieces so I can't put it back together... The conversion goes on to include more problems not relevant to the issue you wanted fixed and you know the rest. You can see the cheapest estimate is not always the best way to go. To safeguard yourself get several estimates for the same repair, if one is much lower there might be something wrong. Most garages know what it takes to stay in business and stay competitive. For the most part you are safer taking it to the middle to upper end repair shop.

At the Shop (Ken's Corner) - One of my customers called me today asking me if I could help him. It seems he was having a problem with his 2001 Toyota Avalon (V6 engine), the car had 76,000 miles. In the morning he would try to start the car, it would crank over and start but then just die, this happened three more times before he got it running again and now the check engine light was on. His office was right next door to a repair shop so he took it in for a diagnosis; they told him it needed an idle air control motor and an air mixture sensor to the tune of $1,200.00 dollars. He brought the car to me the next morning. I checked it out and recommended a simple solution. Some manufacturers use a magnetic field style idle air control motor that is very susceptible to carbon build up. I removed the idle air control unit, cleaned it, reassembled it and cleared the trouble codes from the PCM. This fixed the problem for the cost of a can of carburetor cleaner. The customer has never been happier with a car repair. With the right information you too can avoid costly auto repairs. All it takes is knowing the right information. "Knowledge is power".

Change Your Oil! - I had a new customer come in with a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier with 82,000 miles on it. She had never changed the engine oil and filter, but always checked the oil level and added oil when needed. The engine now has a bad camshaft, cylinder head and two failed cam followers. The engine oil broke down and failed to lubricate the bearing surfaces on the valve train components. This repair is going to cost close to $1450.00 for a new cylinder head, camshaft, gaskets, cam followers and labor. That's a lot of oil changes! Just like my Dad (Bob) always says: "Change your oil and filter, its cheap insurance".

Rebuilt or Refurbished? - What is the difference? A rebuilt: replacement part, engine, transmission or differential means the unit has been disassembled and the "wear" items have been replaced such as bearings, brushes or guides etc. A rebuilt part will sometimes have individually painted parts. A refurbished unit is basically cleaned, painted and then resold. Obviously you are better off with the rebuilt unit than refurbished, some repair facilities will try to pass the refurbished unit off as a rebuilt unit so be sure you are getting what you ask for. If you are unsure of the integrity of the repair shop ask to see the part or unit before it is installed. Most dealerships and high end repair shops will only install new parts. New parts are optimum for best performance and longevity, rebuilt is the next best thing. You should only agree to a refurbished replacement part as a last resort.

Having Problems with Your New Car? - A new car can be great, but sometimes a new car can have problems. The dealership may not be as helpful as they should be once you drive the car off the lot. If you have problems with a dealer that you can't resolve you do have some recourse. Contact the manufacturer of the vehicle.  All major manufacturers have a customer help line that will put you in contact with a company representative. Most dealerships are independently owned and operated and sometimes they aren't always responsive. Your involvement with a manufacturer's representative will help you get the leverage you need to resolve the problem promptly.