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Unless you consider yourself a car enthusiast, you may find yourself feeling a bit lost when having conversations with your mechanic. At times, it can feel like you are speaking to someone using a different language with words like “grease monkey,” “kickdown,” and “oversquare” whizzing past your head like dodgeballs. Hopefully, this list of common auto repair terms will help your next conversation with your mechanic go a bit more seamlessly:   Aftermarket – This term applies to parts w...

You know that winter and bad weather are coming. Is your car ready? Here’s a quick checklist of things to get up to speed on: Motor oil: Motor oil has a tendency to thicken in cold weather, making it harder to circulate to upper engine parts at startup. If you haven’t ever used synthetic oil before, this might be a good time to start. The flow properties of synthetic oil are a lot more consistent, meaning it doesn’t thicken in sub-freezing temperatures or thin out when it’s hot outside. Wip...

Prepare for the end of Daylight Saving Time with proper maintenance of vehicle lighting to ensure safety. After November 2nd, clocks “fall back” which causes most drivers’ commutes to be in darker lighting, being that dusk will occur during peak hours of evening traffic hours. As winter quickly approaches, vehicle lighting should be inspected to ensure optimum visibility for drivers in dim or inclement conditions that command top quality operations of both lighting and windshield wipers.   E...

1. Tires: Ensure tire pressure is properly serviced and maintained for both lengthy travels and everyday driving. Underinflation of tires can cause unnecessary wear and hardship to tire tread, causing tire failure or malfunctions. If not properly inflated, fuel economy can be severely decreased, causing drivers to lose about .6 miles per gallon due to improper tire conditions. Whether over or under inflated, tires can easily lose traction that could lead to an accident if not addressed. Service...

Many vehicle owners do not take the time to schedule regular oil changes. Regular oil changes are vital to the life of your engine and can extend its performance for years. This is one of the most important and inexpensive things you can do to keep engine protected. Most manufacturers recommend changing your oil every 3,000-6,000 miles, depending on your vehicle use and the type of oil you are using.    Oil Changes are essential to: Lubricate engine to reduce wear and friction Reduce engine...

The temperatures are inching upward, the days are getting longer and the first buds are starting to appear on the trees. Spring is on its way, and  soon it’s going to be time to do a little preventive maintenance on your ride. No need to dread it -- it’s all pretty routine stuff! Air filter - If you haven’t changed your air filter since last year (or can’t remember when you changed it at all), it might be time. It’s an easy and cheap fix, and it pays off in your vehicle’s performance an...

So we all know that May is devoted to Mother’s Day. In honor of mothers everywhere, here are a few helpful suggestions for you to show mom just how much you care.     1. Oil Change - Getting Mom’s car an oil change would be a nice way to help her get the most miles out of her car. Regular oil changes keep moving parts lubricated, reducing friction and heat buildup, and prevent deposits of sludge and gunk from building up on internal engine assemblies.    2. Wiper Replacement - Even the b...

Summer is here, and it’s time to start thinking about your car’s AC system! Nobody likes driving around in a hot, stuffy car, and a car with an AC system which only works marginally is somehow almost even worse than one which doesn’t work at all. Let’s go through a few tips which can help you keep your ride a little more comfortable this summer… Remember a cars AC system is really a heat exchanger which moves hot air out of your vehicle, then replaces it with cold air. One thing you can do...

Automotive technology has come a long way since the mid-20th century, and so has motor oil. A 1940s-era car didn’t feature an oil pump or oil filter. Instead, they relied on dippers on the crankshaft’s counterweights, which would then sling oil to coat crucial moving parts. Motor oils in those days weren’t designed with detergents and other additives to help keep the engine clean; even with frequent oil change intervals, many cars would be in need of an engine overhaul by the time they reach...

The kids are going to be headed off to school again before you know it, and then of course, the holidays will start coming one after another between Labor Day and the end of the year. There’s a lot to stay on top of, and auto repair should be one less thing for you, the grownup, to worry about as the year marches on. Here are some suggestions for things you might want to take care of before it all starts rolling again:    • Oil Change – Can’t remember the date of your last oil change? Then...