DELAWARE & PENNSYLVANIA AUTO REPAIR

You depend on your automobile to get you where you need to go, which is why caring for it properly is essential. Here are some car care do’s and don’ts you can follow to make maintaining your vehicle a breeze. Car Care Do’s The most important thing you can do to keep your vehicle in good condition is to have regular maintenance performed. Follow your manufacturer’s recommendations regarding oil changes, fluid flushes and other routine service to provide optimum performance and reduce the odds of a breakdown. Aside from performing routine maintenance you should also: Check tire pressure on a regular basis, and inflate or deflate as needed Wash your vehicle often to prevent damage to the finish Inspect your windshield wiper blades regularly for signs of damage, particularly in the winter when cold temperatures may cause them to crack Keep some basic tools, including a jack, tire iron and jumper cables, in the tr ... read more

Many car owners won’t deal with this conundrum. Regrettably, if your car is on a recall list, here are some car misconceptions to look over before jumping to the wrong conclusion. Recalls are rare: Recalls happen yearly, so it isn’t rare. It sounds rare because we depend so much on the news for information, and the news isn’t going to inform watchers of every existing recall. If a recall includes your car, the manufacturer will inform you. Complaints lead to a recall: Just because many people complain, it doesn’t mean a recall is down the line. Complaints tell manufacturers something is wrong. An investigation occurs with one complaint, so many are a cause for concern. However, recalls ensue based on severity and substantial evidence, not complaints. Many car recalls occur because the manufacturer noticed it before the public did. Recalls are urgent: The point of recalls is to prevent urgency ... read more

A manufacturer’s warranty barely lasts a year on new vehicles. Extended warranties keep your car covered for a few more years after the manufacturer’s warranty expires. So much skepticism surrounds extended warranties, and we don’t know what to believe. Here are five types of stereotypes we place on warranties and how untrue it is. The product breaks down after the warranty expires: We believe extended warranties are a waste of time because the product will function until the warranty expires, then it breaks down. Can you explain those times where it breaks down before the warranty expires? Extended warranties are for those moments, and it does occur often. Companies who do this rarely stay in business because perceptive customers will see right through the fraud. Extended warranties are free: Extended warranties cost money. The reason its free is that the total cost of the product is a lower price plus the “free” warranty. Once you use the warranty, fees such as la ... read more

ar Care Do’s and Don’ts With car care do’s and don’ts, it is not always what we don’t do that causes a car problem, but what we do. The first step in taking care of your car doesn’t directly involve the vehicle, it is choosing who will perform the work. The cars we grew up with were easy to work on. You kept gas in the tank, air in the tires, and every so often changed the oil and they ran trouble-free for years. Today’s cars have evolved into a high-tech vehicle that really needs a certified mechanic who not only has the right diagnostic equipment and tools, but has kept up with the latest advances in automotive technology. One example is an oil change or servicing the engine. You either take the vehicle to an independent or chain quick service oil change shop or you do it yourself. The good old boys at the quick oil change shop are good at what they do. Their job is to make money for the shop. Most of these business are reputable, but there are stil ... read more

It’s easy to know when your car needs a trip to the car wash. Helpful neighborhood kids are quick to help you out by writing “wash me” in your cars dust build up. However, when it comes to washing your car’s engine, out of sight may mean out of mind. A clean engine performs better, plus engine leaks and build-up can make an engine more flammable on a hot day, so washing your engine once or twice a year is a good idea. Here’s a few tips for how to safely wash your car’s engine. Location – You don’t want to be responsible for sending car engine sludge into the water supply, so consider taking your car to a car wash where their water drainage is filtered and cleaned. Hot, But Not Too Hot – A warm engine is a little easier to clean, but a hot engine is a nightmare, so let the engine run for about a minute before cleaning it. If you’ve driven your car across town to get it to a car wash, you’ll need to let it sit and cool o ... read more

Car Misconceptions About Recalls Many car owners won’t deal with this conundrum. Regrettably, if your car is on a recall list, here are some car misconceptions to look over before jumping to the wrong conclusion. Recalls are rare: Recalls happen yearly, so it isn’t rare. It sounds rare because we depend so much on the news for information, and the news isn’t going to inform watchers of every existing recall. If a recall includes your car, the manufacturer will inform you. Complaints lead to a recall: Just because many people complain, it doesn’t mean a recall is down the line. Complaints tell manufacturers something is wrong. An investigation occurs with one complaint, so many are a cause for concern. However, recalls ensue based on severity and substantial evidence, not complaints. Many car recalls occur because the manufacturer noticed it before the public did. Recalls are urgent: The p ... read more

Concerns for the environment cause inventors and technology experts to get to work for new ways to do the same things, but in a more sustainable way. Thus, the creation of hybrid cars. Because people are so misinformed when it comes to these compact vehicles, they often overlook the advantages of investing in them. Too Expensive It’s obvious that hybrids pay off at the gas pump, but the fact that most people are convinced that hybrid cars are too expensive is by far the biggest myth out there. Although, they once were kind of pricey when they were first introduced to the public, like most new technology, the price has decreased substantially throughout the years. As far as repairs go, today’s mechanics are better equipped to work on these cars and their parts are more available now. Too Small & Slow Hybrids are usually compact sedans, with a sleek design that seemingly lacks muscle. Many people feel that their energy-efficie ... read more

There are a lot of misconceptions floating around about car repair. These can stem from that one bad experience your uncle had in the 80s or those pesky perpetuated myths that just won’t die. Here are three tidbits of valuable information that will help your car live a long, happy life and keep you from being stranded.The Tire Pressure Monitoring System Makes Sure Tires Are Adequately Inflated. Wrong. The regulations governing how the TPMS on your car works do not require the monitoring system to issue a warning until the tires are already at an unsafe pressure for driving. It may not warn you until your tires are a full 25% below recommended safe pressure. Many people have become complacent about checking the air pressure in their tires due to this false sense of security. Bottom Line: Check your tire pressure regularly. Car Manufacturers Only Recommend Preventative Maintenance So You’ll Spend More Money Wrong. All of those suggested preventative mainte ... read more

Everyone has heard a few myths about winter driving and unfortunately many believe them. Unlike common household superstitions or worries about black cats, when driving a car, misconceptions can cause injury. Anyone who is preparing for their first experience of winter driving will be safer if they know what they should and shouldn’t believe. Myth: Winter tires will keep you out of a ditch. Reality: Only the driver can keep a vehicle on the road. Snow tires are great for better traction. They help to prevent some fish-tailing when taking off from a stop and may stabilize the vehicle on a snowy road. However speeding, hills and curves are always risky in bad weather, and stopping is always going to take longer on icy road. Myth: Cars only need two winter tires. Reality: Whether a car is front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, it uses all of the tires to start and stop. A full set o ... read more

Everyone has their own opinions about what makes a vehicle worth owning. But sometimes, those theories are just plain, old nonsense, and having to listen to them…well that’s enough to drive anyone crazy. Here are three common car misconceptions that will make you want to tear your hair out. Car Misconception #1: Snow Tires Are a Scam Think you can get away with rocking your all-season rubbers year round? Think again. All-season tires are designed to give you solid traction and good handling when conditions are dry or wet. However, they are not made to take on heavy snow and ice or really cold temperatures. Snow tires, on the other hand, have seriously aggressive tread that is specially patterned to move through snow and ice without slipping or caking. They’re also made of a specific rubber that remains flexible when temperatures drop low; the rubber used in regular tires becomes more brittle when it’s that cold. People also tend ... read more