Vehicle Tips & FAQs

Tag Archives: autorepair

Is This Bill Too Much?

A question I hear from customers often is, “Is it even worth it to fix it?” My answer is always the same: “It depends.” This answer is even accurate for customer who need major repairs like an engine or transmission. This answer is the SAME even if the customer needs an engine for a 1980s Honda…it depends. The real question you need to ask yourself is, “What is my goal with this vehicle?” Most people claim that they just want something to get them from “point A to point B,” but the facts show us that car buying is largely an emotional decision. But this post is about being in the moment where you have to decide what to do with your car, not deciding which car to buy. Keep in mind some of the following costs associated with replacing your car: sales tax, dealer fees, registration fees, loan interest, state inspections, new insurance premiums (could be higher or lower), new phone mount or other personal accessories, time off work and ... read more

More on Maintenance Pt. 3

This post is a 3-part series on automotive maintenance. We shared an article from Car Bibles this past month about automotive maintenance and 20 essential components for it. That article can be found here. Continuing on: 5. "Check fluid levels" This needs to be done monthly if your car has more than 60K miles on it. As many as you can check: engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant/antifreeze, brake fluid, power steering fluid, clutch fluid, and washer fluid. Be safe and don't check the coolant after the engine has been running. Be careful not to contaminate the fluids when checking them. Even if your car is in good condition, don't expect warning bells when a leak starts or the engine starts to consume a little oil. It's actually normal for many engines to consume oil from the factory. 6. "Replace spark plugs" You should know how often the m ... read more

More on Maintenance Pt. 1

This post is a 3-part series on automotive maintenance. We shared an article from Car Bibles this past month about automotive maintenance and 20 essential components for it. That article can be found here. We see daily examples of good maintenance and occasionally some vehicles that lack the regular maintenance needed to stay in good shape. There is one universal truth that I believe in when it comes to auto repair: you can't decide to be economical with a repair if you aren't regularly proactive with your maintenance. Let me give you an example. If you do a lot of city driving, your brakes will wear out faster than someone who does mainly highway driving. Being proactive with your brakes means having a technician check them during every oil change. You should plan to replace them every 30-60K miles. A good time to replace them is when there ... read more