Get Your Car Ready for Summer Vacation

The summer vacation season is in full swing and everybody needs their vehicle serviced and repaired before they go. We tend to be very busy during the summer months so make your appointment 1-2 weeks before you need to head out. Needing brakes, A/C repair or just an oil change give us call 

When you bring your car in we always do an overall safety inspection. During this inspection we will perform the following:

1 - All fluids including engine oil, power steering, brakes, transmission, antifreeze/coolant as well as wiper fluid

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2 - All hoses and belts are checked to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or showing signs of excessive wear.

3 - Battery checked making sure the connections are clean, tight and corrosion free.

4 - Brake system checked including pads and rotors. We will give you a recommendation of when you will need new brakes.

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5 - Exhaust system checked for leaks, damage or broken supports

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6 - Steering and suspension system checked including struts, ball joints tie rods and other related components. 

7 - Tires checked including tire pressure and tread wear. 

8 - Wipers and exterior lighting checked 

9 - Air and cabin filters inspected

Thanks and have an awesome Summer vacation !

Braking News and Brake Flushes

Well I thought it was a little funny to title this newsletter “Braking News” instead of “Breaking News”. (Ok so maybe it’s not that funny”)

Anyway most folks think that having the pads and rotors replaced on your vehicle is all you need to do to keep up with your brake’s maintenance. The reality is your brake system needs to be flushed periodically as part of your regular maintenance

In normal driving conditions brake fluid becomes contaminated over time. As brake fluid becomes overheated the moisture in the brake line vaporizes and braking efficiency is reduced. Over time this causes contamination that can lead to rust and corrosion that will lead to the breakdown of braking components.

If you ever looked at the brake fluid in your vehicle’s reservoir it should be clear with a yellowish hue. When brake fluid becomes older the color will change to a deeper amber color or perhaps a brownish almost black liquid. This is a red flag for your brake system and  a brake flush is needed soon otherwise you may severely damage your braking system.

Having a brake flush will help ensure proper brake system performance and increase the lifespan of your brake components. Flushing and replacing brake fluid is a small cost however replacing rusted brake lines and other components can run well into the hundreds of dollars. Clearly there is a value in having a brake flush when needed.

We recommend that your vehicle has a brake flush every 30,000 miles. Think of it being this simple, brake fluid is as vital to stopping a car as engine oil is to keeping it going. You wouldn't drive your car with dirty old oil would you ? So let's keep this in mind when having your car serviced

This Could Happen to Your Car

I’ve sent out  a few emails in the past letting you know that when the dirt, leaves and debris build up below your windshield it could cause problems with your air conditioning system. More specifically your evaporator core. Well I still see so many cars with debris below the windshield I thought would remind y'all again.

This evaporator core fails because the dirt, leaves and debris enter the evaporator case through the exterior air intake vents and come in contact with the evaporator surface. This moist atmosphere causes decomposition of the organic materials, and can form caustic corrosive substances which can eventually perforate the surface of the evaporator. These same substances can also sometimes lead to an odor

problem inside the vehicle, most noticeable when the system is first operated.

Clearing off the dirt, leaves and debris will help cut down on the chances of your evaporator core going bad. This is important as the replacement cost depending on your vehicle is $2500 to $3500. Keeping that area clean does not guarantee you won’t ever have to replace your evaporator core however it gives you a lot better chance of not

If you look at the photos a major cost is the fact of replacing the evaporator core is it located behind the dash and takes 20 plus hours of labor to get to it.