Roadside Safety — What to Do When Your Car Breaks Down

Well, your car broke down. Now what? Hopefully, you are already on the side of the road, but even there isn't necessarily safe. Here are a few tips for staying safe when your car breaks down. Preventing Car Break Downs The first step of roadside safety? Avoid it! Many breakdowns are preventable with proper maintenance and general car care. Money woes stopping you from performing regular maintenance? Remember, repairs post-breakdown are far more expensive than a 5-month check-up. Driving and feel something funny? Instead of waiting for it to truly go South in the middle of the highway, pull off at the next exit. Stopping at the parking lot of a gas station or rest stop are safer options than the side or shoulder of the road. Plus, it's easier and better for service vehicles as well. Roadside Safety Tips After your car breaks down, it's hard to be in a "safety-first" mindset. But, that's exactly where your mind needs to be. Move Off the Road Seems like a no-brainer, but some folks don't move [...]

By |2018-04-20T07:52:55-06:00April 20th, 2018|Car Service & Maintenance, Car Tips, Damaged Car|0 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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Car Steering Problems You Shouldn’t Be Ignoring & Their Causes

If you cannot steer it, you won't get there, making car steering problems a high priority fix. But, diagnosing isn't always easy with steering issues manifesting in noises, sensations, and changes from the norm. Let's take a closer look at the underlying problems behind common car steering issue. How Car Steering Systems Work Starting from square one gives you a better understanding of what's going on under the hood—and behind the wheel. Your car's steering system takes the rotation from the wheel and passes that movement through series of sockets and joints. The precise adjustment of these joints allows the wheel to move in unison and at the appropriate angles to make maneuvers. For example, when make a left turn your left wheel turns at a sharper angle than the right, in order to make the turn faster. This is all set up by the movement allowed in the sockets in relation to the angle of the steering wheel. These joints also work with the suspension to allow directional changes without moving up and down. [...]

By |2018-04-05T07:55:59-06:00April 5th, 2018|Car Questions, Damaged Car|0 Comments
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Is a Flooded Car a Totaled Car?

With the 2017 hurricane season ending, we have had a lot to recover from. Communities and families continue rebuilding and life is slowly returning to its normal pace. We now have time to turn our attentions back to the less dramatic losses—including the flooded cars. But, is a flooded car a totaled car? Can it be salvaged? How Flooded is Flooded? It doesn't take much to flood a car. If you drove through or were parked in water up to mid-tire level, you probably have some damage. If that water splashed or reached any electrical components, you have a problem. Electricity and Water Do Not Mix We all know this. Water trumps electricity. And the water doesn't need to be as high as you think to start wreaking havoc. The motor starter is the lowest electronic component of a vehicle. Water doesn't even need to reach door height to start splashing and damaging the starter. Modern Cars With all the new advances in modern cars, they have actually gotten worse at withstanding flood waters. The [...]

By |2017-11-30T07:40:16-06:00November 21st, 2017|Car Questions, Damaged Car|0 Comments
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