Posts Tagged ‘Repair Shop’

Deer Collision Auto Service Is On The Rise

Friday, December 18th, 2009

There is a better chance of hitting a deer with your vehicle today than ever before. Deer-auto collisions are at the highest rates and the number of accidents is expected to keep climbing. If you don’t want to end up needing extensive auto repairs, you need to know how to keep your car from hitting a deer.

Your chances of hitting a deer are much higher in certain regions of the country than others. West Virginia has recorded more deer collisions than any other state. Other states with high numbers of collisions include Michigan and Montana. Also, if you live in the suburbs or rural areas you are much more likely to find your vehicle in the repair shop due to a deer than a city dweller.

In order to avoid unnecessary auto service as a result of a deer collision, be sure to drive slowly and keep your eyes peeled for animals on the side of the road. This is especially true while driving at dawn and dusk. Another important fact to know is that more than half of all accidents happen in the fall.  While not all deer collisions can be avoided some certainly can. Taking the necessary precautions to avoid hitting a deer is a good idea. And it will certainly save you money on auto repairs!

Valet Parking Could Land You Car In The Repair Shop

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

When you go out for a night on the town it is nice to treat yourself to valet parking, right? Well, this treat could turn into a disaster if you leave your vehicle in the wrong hands. It could even land your car in the repair shop. There are several videos on the Internet to explain why.

If you want to avoid unnecessary car repair, beware of who you allow to drive your car. Valets have admitted to driving recklessly or taking customer’s cars for joy rides in the past. Their reasons range from just for the fun of it to because the customer was a bad tipper.

The next time you hand your keys over to the valet driver check the mileage on your vehicle. That way you will know your car was right where it was supposed to be the whole time you were gone. If you notice anything wrong with your car when it is returned have an automotive repair shop document the repairs in detail and speak with the valet management right away.

Auto Repairs That Will Keep You Green

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

The way that our actions effect the environment is on the forefront of most people’s minds these days, including car owners. If you want to drive as greenly as possible but don’t have the funds to buy a new electric car anytime in the near future, there are still ways that you make driving your vehicle as environmentally friendly as possible. Auto service is most important.

Getting tune ups , regular car maintenance and other auto repairs at a repair shop will help your vehicle stay green. Making sure your exhaust system is working properly will reduce the amount of fumes and toxins your vehicle emits into the air. Tune ups also affect your fuel efficiency. Having the best fuel efficiency as possible is another great way to help the environment.

Other practices to keep your car from excessively polluting include not letting you car idle for long periods of time and combining trips when out and about. These are all simple ways to reduce the amount of pollution your car contributes to the environment.

Auto Service Laws

Monday, December 14th, 2009

There are laws in place to protect customers from untrustworthy car repair shops. These laws offer a wall of protection to help prevent you from being cheated. Some of these laws include:

The right to a written estimate. You have the right to get a written estimate of the work that needs to be done to your vehicle. That is, if the work that needs to be done exceeds one hundred dollars and you ask for it in person. The facility is then not allowed to charge you more than 10% over the written estimated price of the repair.

The right to fight charges in some circumstances. A repair shop cannot hold your vehicle for lack of payment if the bill is over 110% of the written estimate, if there was face-to-face contact and no written estimate was offered, or is there is no “You Customer Rights” sign posted in the auto repair shop.

In order to keep yourself from being cheated you need to know your rights. Getting a written estimate and detailed invoice are always important. These two actions will prevent you from overpaying for auto service.

Auto Service: Safely Driving on Black Ice

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

While I was driving home from work last night I began to slide a bit on the roads. It hadn’t been snowing so this sliding caught me completely off guard. Then I realized what it was: black ice. Black ice is a real winter time hazard. If you are looking for ways to avoid a trip to the repair shop this winter then you need to know how to properly drive on black ice.

First, be sure your tires are in good condition. If the treads on your car’s tires are worn you will have a harder time gaining traction on an icy road. Take your car into a car repair shop to have your tires looked at.  If you have good tires and adequate air pressure you will find it much easier to drive on black ice.

Driving on black ice can be tricky. If you find yourself sliding on black ice immediately take your foot off of the gas pedal. However, you don’t want to slam the brakes either. Slowly steering in the direction your car is sliding will help you to quickly regain control of your vehicle.

Black ice is especially hazardous on bridges, overpasses and roadways near water. If you find yourself driving through any of these locations, take it slow and watch for black ice on the roadway. By taking these simple precautions you will be able to avoid an accident and the need for collision auto service.

Preventing Wind Caused Auto Repairs

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

This morning I was woken up by the sound of 60mph winds crashing into the side of my house. These high speed gusts of wind got me thinking about my car and ways to prevent wind damage to my vehicle. Although a vehicle can sustain damage while driving, it is more likely to be scratched, dented or crushed while sitting in your driveway.

If you have a garage, use it. Many of us, me included, get in the habit of using our garage as an extra storage space instead of a place to park the car. This is a bad habit to get into. During high winds debris is flying through the air. Tree branches, among other things, can fall onto your vehicle and do some real damage. Now is the time to clean out that garage of yours and use it for its intended purpose so you can avoid unnecessary automotive repair.

Don’t park under trees or power lines. During periods of high winds these are the worst places for your vehicle to be. You never know when one gust of wind will knock a tree down. You certainly don’t want your car to be under it!

Be sure to take care of your vehicle during times of bad weather so that you can reduce the need for a trip to the repair shop. Many auto repairs can be prevented by keeping your car out of harm’s way on bad weather days like these.

Safe Driving Impacts Auto Repairs

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

While having a reliable auto repair shop to take your car to is a good thing, it is not a place car owners want to have to visit too often. Practicing safe driving can greatly reduce your need for avoidable auto repairs. Here are a few tips to keep your auto repairs to a minimum.

Use your brakes sparingly. When you need to brake, do so gently and over a longer distance. Slamming on the brakes wears the brake pads much faster than necessary and will cause you to replace your car’s brakes more frequently.

Don’t speed. Most accidents are the result of one or more vehicles going over the speed limit. In order to decrease the risk of an accident and resulting major car repair needs, drive the speed limit.

Safe driving will certainly reduce your car repair needs. By reducing your need for unnecessary auto repairs, you will be able to focus on the routine care and maintenance of your vehicle so that your car is safe and reliable for years to come.

Auto Service That Keeps You Warm

Monday, December 7th, 2009

As I woke up this morning, something caught my eye. It was snowing! I got ready for work and went outside to start my car. I turned on the heat in my vehicle and thought to myself how glad I am that I have heat in my car. I am also very glad to have a defroster so that I don’t have to scrape the windshield!

Today, all of my winter auto service preparations have begun to pay off. Are you ready? While there is just a dusting of snow on the ground today, I realize this is just the beginning. If your car isn’t ready for the snow take it to an auto repair shop today. If the heat doesn’t work in the car, a car repair shop can fix it! Don’t spend the winter cold and miserable while driving.

When you bundle up today to head outside, think about all of the auto repair needs on your car. Have you made all of the adjustments for winter yet? If you still have a repair or two, head to the repair shop on your lunch break. You don’t want to be caught unprepared by the snow!

Dashboard Automotive Repair Messages

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

The lights on a vehicle’s dashboard are excellent indicators of your car’s health. They tell us things such as when to change the oil, when the gas cap is not on correctly, and when we need to get gas. These messages are very important and should be taken seriously. Another important dashboard message that should never be ignored is the ‘check engine soon’ light.

If your ‘check engine soon’ light appears you should take your car to a repair shop immediately. The light coming on is a sign that your car has registered a diagnostic code from the engine. This could mean that something is seriously wrong with your engine. There are many minor things that could be wrong too, such as an emissions issue.

If the ‘check engine soon’ light comes on, don’t panic. By having your car evaluated at an auto repair shop you will be able to distinguish a true problem from a faulty sensor resulting in a misdiagnosed code. Automotive repair shops have the equipment necessary to read the codes and get to the root of the problem.

Finding a Repair Shop Using Internet Reviews

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

There are several ways to go about finding an honest and qualified repair shop, including family recommendations, advertisements and the Internet. The Internet can be an excellent tool when looking for the right auto repair shop for your vehicle. There are many of review sites on the web to help you weed through the unsavory repair shops and find a trustworthy auto garage to do business with.

Many online sites offer a place for consumers to post feedback about their auto service experience. Online reviews are a useful tool because this is where people tend to be the most honest. Since the Internet offers anonymity, customers are more comfortable stating what they really thought about the services of a particular business.

Before choosing a repair shop to fix your vehicle, browse the Internet for reviews of that particular shop. The reviews do not have to be all positive for a shop to be adequate, but if there is any alarming feedback about a shop you will know to steer clear. Using the Internet to find a good repair shop could prevent you from being scammed. That is certainly worth a few minutes of your time.