I Want a New Vehicle. Or Do I? (Vehicle Maintenance Payoffs)
February 11, 2024
Spring is a peak season for vehicle sales; companies aggressively market new models and offer all sorts of incentives. So you may be tempted to buy a shiny new beauty. But should you? If you've regularly maintained the vehicle you're driving now, you probably don't NEED a new one. Even if your... More
Let?s Shift Gears (Transmission Fluid Replacement)
February 4, 2024
If you have a vehicle with an automatic transmission, you probably never think about gear shifting. When motor vehicles were invented, all of them had to be shifted manually. But that wonderful self-shifting transmission, referred to these days as simply an automatic, changed everything. Automa... More
Stopping "Brake" Downs (Brake Pad Replacement)
January 28, 2024
If someone tells you to put the brakes on something, you know it means stop. And stopping is one of the most important safety maneuvers you can do in any vehicle. That means your brakes have to work properly. Let's face it. You stop dozens of times every time you drive. And over time, that t... More
A Clean Start (Battery Cleaning)
January 21, 2024
You may be fanatical about keeping the outside of your vehicle clean. But what about what's under the hood? Have you ever thought about how dirt and grime may be affecting your engine's components? One of the most important parts under your hood to keep clean is your vehicle's battery. With a d... More
TCB your PCV (PCV Valve Replacement)
January 14, 2024
Your gasoline engine goes through some exhausting work. Yes, it's truly exhausting, as in: it produces exhaust! And when your engine starts behaving like it's exhausted, such as running poorly or getting lousy fuel economy, the trouble may be something called a PCV valve. Did you know it's a ser... More
Steering You Right (Power Steering Signs of Problems)
January 7, 2024
Nearly every modern vehicle on the road today has power steering, a wonderful invention that makes steering take far less effort than it did in the "good old days." Today, we take our steering for granted: until something goes wrong, that is. Most power steering these days is rack-and-pinion, th... More
For 4x4s (Maintenance of 4x4 Vehicles)
January 1, 2024
Some people love 4x4 vehicles, the true 4-wheel drive works of engineering like Jeeps and 4x4 pickups that allow you to seemingly go anywhere on the planet. You can climb up a 40-degree rock trail with some planning and skill (always careful to protect the environment, of course), or you can get ... More
I'm Cool With That (AC Exchange)
December 31, 2023
On a hot day, you want your vehicle's air conditioning to work. When the air blowing out of your vents isn't cold, it's easy to think, "I'll just take it by the shop and have them top off my refrigerant." But while some people think air conditioning is that simple, it's actually not. If your ref... More
Rotation Explanation (Tire Rotation Patterns)
December 24, 2023
You may notice that when you get your vehicle's oil changed, your service adviser may recommend that you have your tires rotated at the same time. The reasons are simple. That will allow your tires to wear more evenly and reduce the noise your tires make as you drive down the road. There are di... More
In That Case? (Transfer Case Exchange)
December 17, 2023
Ever wonder how all-wheel-drive or 4-wheel-drive vehicles get the power from the engine to the front and rear wheels? The magic happens in what's called a transfer case. In some all-wheel-drive vehicles, it's sometime called a power take-off unit, or PTU. Inside the transfer case is a set of gea... More