Benefits of keeping up on your car’s scheduled maintenance

marycimeni July 19, 2020

Do you follow the maintenance schedule of your car? Many car owners don’t bother having their cars checked until issues arise. However, what you don’t know is that there are numerous benefits of keeping up on your car’s scheduled maintenance.

It saves you money in the long run.

It might seem like you’re spending more money when you take your car to the scheduled maintenance. In reality, sticking to a car maintenance schedule will save you cash down the road. For example, the cost of replacing your brakes before it malfunctions is much lower than it will be if it causes additional damage to the engine or your car.

It saves you time

If you think you are wasting your time in taking your car to maintenance schedule, you are honestly wrong. If you get your parts repaired on schedule, you can avoid spending more time in the repair shop when more parts of the car fail together due to neglect.

It keeps your engine running smoothly

Do not ignore simple signs of trouble like brakes squeaking or tires losing their grip on the road. Taking your car to maintenance schedule will help you diagnose and resolve problems before they grow bigger. As a bonus, you would have your car running smoothly on the road. Car manufacturers and repair shops can also give you useful advice on how to keep your car in good condition, especially if you are planning to take a long road trip.

It keeps your car system functioning

In addition to keeping your engine running smoothly, taking your car to maintenance schedule will keep all parts functioning together.

Simple things like broken horns, noisy air conditioning units, and broken windshields can make a huge difference on the health of your vehicle.

It keeps your car high-value

If you have plans to sell or trade your car later on, you would want to have it maintained on schedule to keep all systems intact and avoid engine issues.

When your car is well-maintained, it keeps its value high even if it has a big mileage. People don’t just look at the physical upkeep of your vehicle but also its internal condition. And you don’t want them backing out because of poor maintenance.

Poorly maintained cars even when brand new would have a lesser price than old models with a very healthy running condition. The key is in the engine itself.

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Summer Car Care: Tips for Keeping Your Vehicle Cool and Comfortable

marycimeni October 5, 2023

As summer arrives with its blazing heat and longer daylight hours, it is important to keep your vehicle well-maintained and comfortable for all your summer adventures. Here are some summer car care tips to help keep your vehicle cool and comfortable during the hot months.

  1. Air Conditioning Maintenance: It’s crucial to ensure that your air conditioning system is running efficiently. Have your vehicle’s air conditioning system checked by a professional to prevent it from breaking down in the middle of a hot day. The refrigerant should be filled to the correct level, and the system should be checked for leaks and blockages.
  2. Check Coolant Levels: The coolant system is your engine’s main defense against overheating. The coolant should be replaced as recommended by your vehicle’s manufacturer. Always check the coolant level when the car is cool, never when it’s hot, to prevent injury. It’s also important to check the radiator and hoses for leaks.
  3. Maintain Your Battery: Heat can take a toll on your car battery. Check your battery’s fluid level and ensure the terminal connections are clean. If your battery is more than three years old, consider having it tested by a professional to ensure it can withstand the summer heat.
  4. Inspect Your Tires: Tires react to heat and can easily overinflate, leading to a blowout. Regularly check your tire pressure to make sure it’s at the recommended level. Also, inspect your tires for cracks, worn treads, or other signs of damage that may need to be addressed.
  5. Sun Protection: The sun’s rays can cause your car’s paint to fade and interior to crack or discolor. Use a sunshade in the windshield to keep the interior cool and protect it from harmful UV rays. Regularly waxing your car can also help protect the exterior from sun damage.
  6. Keep Your Engine Cool: Your engine is more likely to overheat in the summer. Regularly check the engine oil level and consider using a higher viscosity oil in the hotter months. Engine oil not only lubricates moving parts but also helps to cool the engine by reducing friction.
  7. Clean Your Vents: A dusty or moldy vent system can greatly reduce the effectiveness of your AC. Clean the vents regularly to keep the air inside your car clean and cool.
  8. Hydrate Yourself: Lastly, remember to keep yourself cool and comfortable during your summer journeys. Always carry a bottle of water in your vehicle to avoid dehydration during long journeys.

Keeping your vehicle cool and comfortable during the summer isn’t just about your own convenience. A properly maintained vehicle can handle summer conditions more effectively, improving safety and prolonging the life of your car. From air conditioning maintenance to protecting your car’s exterior, a little preventative care can go a long way in ensuring a cool, comfortable, and worry-free summer drive.…

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5 Essential Tips to Keep Your Car Looking Brand New

marycimeni April 15, 2023

Your car is a valuable asset that requires regular care and attention to maintain its appearance and value. By implementing a few simple practices, you can ensure that your vehicle looks and feels brand new for years to come. In this blog post, we’ll explore five essential tips to help you keep your car looking fresh and pristine.

  1. Regular Washing and Waxing: Regular washing is crucial for preserving the exterior shine of your car. Aim to wash your vehicle every two weeks, or more frequently if it’s exposed to harsh weather conditions or road debris. Use a high-quality car wash solution and a microfiber mitt to gently remove dirt and grime. After washing, don’t forget to apply a coat of wax to protect the paint and enhance the glossy finish. Waxing every three months will shield your car from UV rays, road salt, and other contaminants, preventing paint degradation and fading.
  2. Protecting the Interior: Maintaining a clean and tidy interior is equally important. Start by regularly vacuuming the carpets, floor mats, and seats to remove dirt and debris. Consider investing in quality floor mats to protect the carpet from spills and stains. To prevent sun damage and cracking, use window shades or park your car in shaded areas. Regularly clean and condition the upholstery, dashboard, and other surfaces with suitable interior cleaners and protectants. Taking these measures will help keep your car’s interior looking and smelling fresh for a long time.
  3. Be Mindful of Parking : Parking your car in the right spots can significantly contribute to its appearance. Whenever possible, park in shaded areas to protect your vehicle from the damaging effects of sunlight. Avoid parking under trees, as sap, bird droppings, and falling branches can cause scratches or stains. Additionally, be cautious when parking near shopping carts or other vehicles to prevent accidental scratches and dings.
  4. Regular Maintenance: Keeping up with regular maintenance is essential for both the performance and appearance of your car. Schedule routine oil changes, tire rotations, and check-ups with a trusted mechanic. Regularly inspect and clean the headlights, taillights, and signal lights to ensure maximum visibility and prevent a dull or hazy appearance. A well-maintained vehicle will not only look better but also run more efficiently and retain its value.
  5. Protective Coatings and Treatments: Consider applying additional protective coatings and treatments to further shield your car. Ceramic coatings provide long-lasting protection against UV rays, dirt, and scratches. Paint protection films can be applied to vulnerable areas such as the front bumper and hood to prevent stone chips and scratches. Window tinting helps protect the interior from sun damage and adds a sleek look. By investing in these protective measures, you can extend the lifespan of your car’s exterior and maintain its showroom shine.

Keeping your car looking brand new requires regular care and attention. By following the tips outlined in this blog post, including regular washing and waxing, protecting the interior, mindful parking, regular maintenance, and using protective coatings and treatments, you can enjoy a fresh and well-preserved vehicle for years to come.

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How to Maintain Your Brakes: A Guide to Keeping Your Vehicle Safe

marycimeni October 15, 2022

Your vehicle’s brakes are one of the most critical components when it comes to safety on the road. Regular brake maintenance is crucial to ensure they are functioning properly and to prevent potential accidents. Here are some essential tips on how to maintain your brakes and keep your vehicle safe:

  1. Pay attention to warning signs: Be aware of warning signs that indicate your brakes may need attention. These signs include squeaking or grinding noises when applying the brakes, a soft or spongy brake pedal, vibration or pulsation in the brake pedal, or an illuminated brake warning light on your dashboard. If you notice any of these signs, it’s essential to have your brakes inspected by a professional as soon as possible.
  2. Check brake fluid regularly: Brake fluid is a vital component in the hydraulic braking system. Check the brake fluid level regularly and ensure it is at the recommended level. If it’s low, you may have a leak or excessive brake pad wear, and it’s important to address the issue promptly. Use the recommended brake fluid type as specified in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
  3. Replace brake pads when necessary: Brake pads wear down over time due to friction against the brake rotors. Inspect your brake pads regularly and replace them if they are worn beyond the recommended thickness. Driving with worn brake pads can decrease braking performance and potentially damage other brake components.
  4. Have the brake system inspected: Regularly schedule professional brake inspections to ensure your entire brake system is in good condition. A qualified mechanic will inspect the brake pads, rotors, calipers, brake lines, and other components to identify any potential issues and recommend necessary repairs or replacements.
  5. Avoid aggressive driving: Aggressive driving habits, such as sudden braking and excessive speeding, can put unnecessary strain on your brakes. Avoid tailgating and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you, allowing you to brake gradually instead of making sudden stops. This helps extend the lifespan of your brake pads and reduces wear on the braking system.
  6. Brake gently when carrying heavy loads: If you frequently carry heavy loads in your vehicle or tow trailers, be mindful of how you use your brakes. Applying brakes gently and in advance when approaching a stop helps reduce stress on the braking system. Consider upgrading to heavy-duty brake pads or rotors if you regularly carry heavy loads.
  7. Maintain proper wheel alignment: Misaligned wheels can cause uneven brake pad wear. Regularly check and maintain proper wheel alignment to ensure even distribution of braking forces. Misalignment can also cause your vehicle to pull to one side when braking, indicating a need for alignment adjustments.
  8. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations: Always refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for specific maintenance recommendations from the manufacturer. Different vehicles may have varying requirements for brake maintenance intervals and specific procedures.

By following these maintenance tips, you can ensure the reliability and effectiveness of your vehicle’s braking system. Remember, the safety of you and your passengers depends on properly maintained brakes, so don’t overlook this essential aspect of vehicle care. If you’re unsure or uncomfortable performing brake maintenance yourself, it’s best to consult a professional mechanic who can provide expert guidance and ensure your brakes are in optimal condition.

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How Do You Know You Got the Right Mechanic

marycimeni March 31, 2022

1. Incredible communication

In the event that anything can strain a relationship – both individual and expert – it’s an absence of correspondence. Since working with cars is an exceptionally specialized work, a car technician that doesn’t as expected make sense of the issues that are going on with your vehicle, alongside possible arrangements, will struggle with assisting the client with understanding what’s the deal with his vehicle. An extraordinary technician comprehends that there might be a specialized hole, and endeavors to ensure that the client comprehends the issue obviously and knows about each of the arrangements prior to pushing ahead.

2. A Problem Solver With Technical Aptitude

Frequently, issues that are it aren’t absolutely clear to occur in the engine. This implies that an extraordinary technician should have the option to issue settle the issue in view of the side effects that a client gives him. A strong issue solver who can utilize specialized fitness to rapidly analyze issues and view arrangements is going as ready to work rapidly and proficiently to get clients back out and about.

3. A Willingness To Keep Learning

With the high speed of auto innovation, observing a technician who appreciates keeping steady over the most recent patterns in car innovation is a decent sign that they are continuously learning new strategies and keeping steady over any new changes in car mechanics.

4. Great workmanship

It nearly should be obvious that A solid hard working attitude is key in viewing as an incredible car technician. A solid hard working attitude implies that a specialist will exceed all expectations to ensure that the client’s vehicle’s concerns are dealt with. They will check for whatever other potential issues that could forestall issues from here on out and give the client a legit appraisal.

What qualities of an incredible technician make a difference to you? Tell us in the remarks!

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Tips to Fix Your Broken Steering Wheels

marycimeni November 30, 2021

Search for Trueness
With your bicycle in a work-stand, turn each wheel. Watch the holes between the brake cushions and edge. Assuming the space on either side develops or psychologists by more than 2mm, your wheel is out of obvious.

Press Your Spokes
Quite possibly the most well-known reason wheels leave valid: free spokes. Actually look at pressure by crushing two spokes all at once between your thumb and fingers. To fix it, utilize a spoke wrench to turn the areola clockwise, in quarter-turn increases. Assuming that the wheel’s still flimsy, it’s out of obvious.

Assess Your Rims
While an edge can last 20,000 miles or more, consistent riding in wet, abrasive conditions can contract that number in just one season, says LaPorta. Assuming the sidewall wears excessively slender, it can bow or part under tension.

Change Your Hubs
Snatch your haggle it side-to-side. Assuming that you feel sidelong play (and your stick is tight), your orientation might be free. Assuming you turn the haggle doesn’t move without a hitch, the heading are reasonable excessively close. Regardless, you’ll have to change a bunch of nuts on your center.

Thanks for the tips from our friends at Gene’s Auto Repair, JD Fleet Management, and Chandler Towing and Recovery.

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Tips When Choosing a Professional Car Mechanic

marycimeni May 31, 2021

Visit the Car Repairing Shop in Person 

In the first place, list down every one of the shops that are nearest in your area as it would be an issue to drive with a severed vehicle to a far shop. Whenever you have recorded down the spots, visit each shop face to face. There you will become acquainted with the guidelines and administrations they give; you can without much of a stretch make out if a specific shop will actually want to satisfy your assumptions or not. 

Find out About the Skills of the Mechanic 

Deciding for a moderate auto technician, you need to initially consider their ranges of abilities. Suppose specialist A can fix tires and any issue related with the wheels while technician B can chip away at any issue with the motor. In this way, the decision will rely upon the difficulty you are confronting. On the off chance that you need a motor fix, go with B. Yet, in the event that you imagine that your vehicle needs a tire substitution or you need the brakes should be transformed, you can pick repairman A. 

Do Discuss About the Service Cost Beforehand 

Each assistance has a specific charge. In the event of administrations given by a grease monkey, the charges are determined dependent on the force of the harm, the parts that must be fixed, and other additional work that should be finished. Attempt to get a gauge prior to giving your vehicle for administration; this will assist you with deciding the complete cost and furthermore the secret charges if there are any. 

Check Their Portfolio 

One of the significant errors that vehicle proprietors make is by disregarding the portfolio. Since a vehicle is an extravagant belonging it isn’t prudent to bargain with its security at all.You need to check the arrangement of an auto technician prior to settling on an ultimate choice. It will give you enough data about the sort of vehicles he has managed, issues he has fixed, and time taken in fixing administrations, nature of his work, etc. 

Request Their Insurances and Licenses 

Something else that you need to search in for a grease monkey is his protection and permit. To start with, he ought to have protection so any mishap doesn’t cause you a monetary weight. Then, a permit will tell you whether the repairman is ensured to manage extraordinary sorts of vehicles or not.

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Don’t do these things to you car

marycimeni November 21, 2020

1. Try not to stuff the motor

The motor consistently accompanies the dipstick, which has the “full” point showed. Fill it to this level and don’t fill it to the top like a container as this will cause disastrous disappointment and smoke emanating from all sides of the vehicle.

2. Try not to stand by until the fuel tank is unfilled before you gas up

Indeed, even the cleanest petroleum has some little particles in it and gravity keeps it at the lower part of your petroleum tank. On the off chance that you drive “on exhaust” this buildup gets sucked into the motor. As a rule, it’s a decent practice to top off the vehicle when it gets to around one-fourth of the tank. Likewise, as these are wet siphons, they work best completely lowered.

3. Try not to disregard your tires.

If you can feel that a tire may be level, it’s regularly effectively level as a hotcake and has been similar to that for some time. Driving with unfilled tires is perilous. Additionally, it’s wearing the tires rapidly.

4. Remember the wheel balance

In the event that you end up hitting the control (please, we as a whole have done it) take the vehicle to a workshop and request that the technicians check the equilibrium and arrangement. On the off chance that the wheels are out of equilibrium, at that point you don’t have great control of your vehicle. Preferable to be protected over heartbroken.

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Safety Tips for Towing a Boat

admin April 11, 2020

Boating is a great hobby especially during summer. However, for most people, a vacation that involves boating activities would require pulling their boat on a trailer behind their vehicle. Well, if you own a boat then why not?  

Since towing a boat on a trailer can change the way you will drive your vehicle it is important that you know the safety tips for towing a boat. This will help you understand your capabilities and limitations while on the road.

  • Always double check. Before you hit the road, make sure that you perform a full safety inspection of your vehicle and towing apparatus. Check your tires and make sure they have enough air to sustain your trip. Don’t forget to load your towing apparatus and safety toolbox on your truck. Check the hook and make sure it doesn’t break throughout your journey.
  • Install the trailer lights to your tow vehicle to make it visible during the night. Do note however that trailer lights should be used at all times even during daytime. Make sure all the lights are working – you can even run a test for safety. The running lights, right, and left turn signals should be working. Ensure that the brake lights and hazard signal turns on when you press them. 
  • Distribute the weight when loading up your boat evenly. Do not place too much heavy materials on the boat as it might cause control issues when you hit the road. Balance the items that you plan on bringing with you especially if they are heavy. Avoid shifting routes when you drive.
  • Cross your safety chains which usually extend from your trailer and your tow vehicle. If you think you’re short of the measurement then you need to purchase a safety chain that will comply with this safety requirement. Crossing your chains has a very important purpose – that is to catch and support the loose trailer tongue so the boat will not dig into the road. 
  • Keep your distance from other vehicles. When merging into the traffic, it is important that you exercise patience on the road. Since you are towing a boat, you need to maintain space between other vehicles. Subsequently, adjust your driving style and speed as if you are not going to get up to passing speed as quickly as you are used to when driving without the tow boat behind you.

At the very end, practice makes perfect. If it is your first time to tow a boat, make sure that you train yourself for this task. You need to be safe first in order to have a fun vacation with the family.


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How to Replace the Water Pump on a Ford F-150

admin April 2, 2020

Broken water pumps can happen any time when the water and antifreeze leaks in your F150’s engine. However, vehicle owners often suffer from the high cost needed to fix their water pump.

Here is the good news – you can actually save money when your water pump goes bad in your F150. The following are some steps you can follow.

  • Prepare the materials you need to replace your water pump. These include socket, torque, flat head screwdriver, gasket scraper, and gasket sealant. You also need to have a new water pump, which you will have to mount later on once you remove the old water pump system of your F150.
  • Disconnect the battery and drain the cooling system of your F150. Using a flat screwdriver, remove the radiator and bypass the heater hoses.  You need to locate the water pump located inside the system by further loosening the clamps. Once you find the water pump, you need to loosen each hose.
  • Carefully loosen and disentangle fan drive belts from the system.  This will require you to turn it counterclockwise for you to be able to unmount the fan drive belt safely.
  • Remove the bolts that connect the water pump to the timing chain. This will expose the water pump allowing you to pull it off completely without destroying other circuits that connect to the assembly.
  • Clean the old gasket and get rid of the corrosion after removing the water pump. You need to do this cautiously without causing more leakage in the assembly. Spread a gasket sealer on the surface of the water pump and the mounting balls.
  • Now you are ready to install your new water pump. Carefully put back the pieces which you have removed by starting with the gasket and the bolts. Mount the new water pump into the engine block and fasten the pump bolts by turning the screw clockwise. You can use the socket and torque wrench to tighten them.
  • Put the parts back into the engine block and fill the cooling system with the specified amount of water and antifreeze. Be careful that your F150 doesn’t overheat again; otherwise you would need another repair for your water pump.


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