Auto Care

Wheel Alignment & How to Tell Your Out of Alignment

Your vehicle is a well-oiled machine — literally. With so many moving parts in such a small space, you quickly realize when something is off or not working correctly. Wheel alignment included. But, what is tire alignment? What causes your car to fall out of alignment? And how can you tell is your wheel alignment is off? What is Tire or Wheel Alignment? When speaking of alignment, we are referring to your vehicle's suspension, not the actual tires or wheels. Your suspension connects the body of your car to the four wheels and helps protect the frame from massive hits, like potholes or bumps. When you visit your local auto shop, and they realign your wheels, they are adjusting the angles of your tires to make the best contact with the road. Unaligned tires cannot grip the road as well and could potentially damage your suspension system if left unchecked for too long. The Angles of Tire Alignments When checking the alignment, mechanics and auto shops take note of three [...]

By |2019-02-19T10:35:30-06:00July 19th, 2018|Auto Care, Car Questions, Car Service & Maintenance|0 Comments
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5 Summer Car Tips

Welcome to Texas—it's hot, really hot! While Texas may cool off during the winter, once summer hits expect temperatures to start hitting 100-degrees. While you can take shelter in your home, your car cannot. Unfortunately, all that heat deals damage to your vehicle. So, what can you do to prepare your car for the summer heat? Protecting Your Car from the Heat & Summer Car Tips Just how hot can your car get during Summers in Texas? If it's 102-degrees outside, the interior can escalate to 160-degrees! No wonder heat is one of the biggest environmental concerns for vehicles. Here are some summer car tips to keep your vehicle cool in the hot weather. Tip #1 - Check Your Coolant System Regularly Keeping your car cool isn't just a luxury, it's a requirement. Your cooling systems works overtime during the summer to keep your engine cool and prevent overheating. What should you look out for with your cooling system? For starters, always keep your coolant level topped off. Get an oil change to keep built-up [...]

By |2018-05-10T09:50:49-06:00May 10th, 2018|Auto Care, Car Tips|2 Comments
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Preventable Car Problems & How to Avoid Them

It's never a good feeling when you notice something is wrong with your trusty steed. Maybe it's starting rougher than usual. Or making some pretty strange noises. Perhaps it even smells different. Whatever the problem with your car, your stomach drops and you start doing the math of what you can afford in repair costs. But, many common issues are preventable car problems. That's right, a little work now (or yesterday) could save you BIG in the future. Preventable Car Problems It's true; you cannot plan and prevent everything. Eventually, your clutch will wear, or your brakes will need replacing. But, there are some problems you can avoid with proper car care and maintenance. 1. Rust Issues Salt means rust, whether it's from the ocean or from deicing the roads. And while you may think your car is dirty at the end of the winter—it's covered in corrosive salt and sand. Regular car washes prevent rust. Short on time? Give it a quick spray, paying particular attention to the undercarriage and wheel wells to hold [...]

By |2018-03-30T15:01:28-06:00April 10th, 2018|Auto Care, Car Tips, Damaged Car|0 Comments
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10 Car Hacks, Tricks and Tips

Make your journey a little safer, more comfortable and more stylish with these car hacks, tricks, and tips. 1. Clean Your Headlights with Toothpaste Place the toothpaste on a soft, nonabrasive cloth and buff. Not only will your car look like new, but you'll also be able to see again too. 2. Cool the Car Without A/C The dreaded Texas summer sun just turned your car into a sauna. Cool the car off quick—without cranking the A/C (and wasting gas). Roll down one window and on the other side of car, open and close the door a few times. The movement forces the hot, stagnant air through the door, filling the car with colder air through the window. 3. Turn on the A/C while Defrosting the Windshield A/C air is dry. Frost is moist. Designers took notice, so new cars do this automatically, but not older cars. Crank the A/C as warm as it will go and watch the dry, warm air do work. 4. Rubberbands - The Free Car Phone Stands Thread the rubber [...]

By |2018-02-02T09:47:23-06:00February 2nd, 2018|Auto Care, Car Tips|0 Comments
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Getting Your Car Winter Ready

Winter is hard—on you and your vehicle. The freezing temperatures. Snow and ice (yep, even here in Houston, TX). The slippery roads. Getting your car winter ready is a must and it starts before the first snowfall. Getting Your Car Winter Ready Visibility Check Seeing clearly is essential during the winter months. Check your wipers, check that your headlights are shining their brightest and check your defroster. Will it keep the ice at bay while driving? Battery Check Your battery capacity is reduced by cold weather—depending on the temperature your battery could only be holding half-charge. Also, the low temperatures are making the battery fluid thicker, increasing the strain on your starter. Have your battery tested, whether at home, at an auto parts store or at your local auto shop to make sure it is fully charged. In addition, check all the cables and terminals for any signs of corrosion or loose connections. Fluids & Coolant Check Coolant. It is absolutely vital for your engine to have the correct antifreeze/water mixture to keep your engine [...]

By |2017-11-30T07:40:06-06:00November 20th, 2017|Auto Care|3 Comments
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What Your Tire Tread is Telling You

Tires can be windows to the health of your car—if you know how to look. Some may find this hard to believe. But, tires are sensitive. They begin to wear differently if something isn't right, which means your tire tread is trying to tell you something. This can include inflation issues, issues with your driving, alignment problems and even problems in your suspension or brake systems. Center Tire Tread Wear Take a peek at your tires. If you see the center strip of your tire is more worn than the sides or edges of the tire that means your tire is overinflated. Overinflation causes tires to bulge in the center, meaning this is the spot on the tire connecting the most with the road. It is important to follow your tires' and car's recommended psi. The recommended tire psi can be found on the outer wall of your tire, on a sticker found inside the front passenger door or in your owner's manual. Side/Shoulder Tire Tread Wear If your tires are showing wear on the [...]

By |2017-10-27T16:30:28-06:00October 31st, 2017|Auto Care|5 Comments
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General Car Care Tips

New or old, flashy or clunky, your car needs maintenance and care to keep running. Here are a few general car care tips to keep you on the roads. Car Care Tips for Your Engine Perhaps one of the most complicated parts of your vehicle—and potentially the most expensive. It's important to keep all parts of your engine in working order to avoid further problems. Oil Oil lubricates the engines moving parts. It keeps the engine clean of dirt and gunk. It prevents wear and corrosion. And it is important to check and change your oil regularly. In the past, it was suggested to change your oil every 3,000 miles. With new technologies, some are saying you can wait for 7,000 miles. When in doubt, follow your car's manual. Still not sure? Check your oil on the indicator stick in your engine. If the oil is low or comes out in a muddied color, it's time to refill or change. Belts Belts are a series of rubber lines filing through your engine. They include your [...]

By |2017-10-27T16:28:46-06:00October 17th, 2017|Auto Care|4 Comments
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5 Signs You Need New Brakes

Brakes are perhaps one of the most important components of your vehicle. They also have a few questions surrounding them. What happens when you push the brakes? How long do brakes last? How do you know when you need new brakes? What Happens When You Brake Your vehicle's brakes are most likely found on the front two tires of your car (with exception of weighted trucks which can have rear brakes). They are made of three components: Rotors: circular piece attached to the back of the wheel. Calibers: vice like clamps that engage with the rotors to slow down the vehicle. Brake Pads: in between the rotors and calibers, brake pads create the friction to slow down your vehicle. While all three components wear over time, your brake pads will wear the fastest and need replacement first. How Long do Brakes Last? It varies. Brakes are a wear item, not a mileage item, with the brake pads wearing first. And not all driving is equal. 20,000 miles of driving in Dallas with stop-and-go traffic is [...]

By |2017-10-27T16:26:47-06:00October 6th, 2017|Auto Care|5 Comments
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