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Posts Tagged ‘Auto Maintenance’

One of the most expensive parts of the car to be repaired is the transmission. Several thousand dollars is what a transmission could cost when damaged.The sad thing about this is that it could have been avoided.  Of course you can completely avoid all car problems.  But if you follow these 3 tips you can increase your chances of avoiding it.

So first thing you want to do is pay attention to your car. This tip is free but you should always do it.  What I mean by paying attention is seeing if it is leaking fluids.  Is it shifting gears roughly?Those are some of the transmission problem signs. All my clients of my San Marcos auto repair always get a list of what they should look out for between maintenance.

And the second advice is also free.It is also something that is in your hands.That is you should drive well.A lot of people drive very hard and they don’t care what happens to their cars.  They don’t realize that they need to care for it like anything else.  A lot of the times the cars that need to be repaired in my Carlsbad auto repair shop you can tell which cars weren’t taken care of.  Usually it also means they spend a lot more money in repairs.So do the right thing and take care and regularly maintain your car.

Final tip does cost money.  But spending money will save you money in the long run.And that would be preventive maintenance. You must bring your car to auto shops for a regular check up.It’s just like a person going to a doctor for a general checkup of his health.It would also apply to your cars by taking them in to keep them running smoothly.And in that way you can avoid problems by solving them early on. And you would also be able to catch early problems.  The earlier you catch problems the less you will have to spend.

So use these tips wisely.  It is what I give to all my clients of my Carlsbad auto repair.  It saves them money.

One of the most expensive parts of the car to replace is the transmission. Sometimes, replacing the automatic transmission costs more than replacing your car with a new one.So having known that fact, car owners should take more care of their cars. One way you can do that is by paying attention to what’s happening to your car. What I mean to say is that there are signs to tell you if there is something going on with your transmission. Because repairing potential problems will be cheaper than a real problem.

The first sign that you can easily see and look out for is a leak.  A lot of times I have cars brought into my San Marcos auto repair shop where the problem started with a simple leak.You should be on the lookout for red leaks.If you see any red fluids leaking from your car then that comes from your transmission.And if your transmission is low on fluids damages can happen.If you find out that your car is leaking red fluids immediately fiill your car up with transmission fluids.  Then take it to a shop to have the leak fixed.

Another thing you must observe is if there are noises and vibrations coming from your transmission.  From my experience running my Carlsbad transmission repair shop those noises are a sign of a couple of things.It could be a sign that your fuid levels are low.Or there is also the possibility of damaged transmission cables.Immediately have your car checked by a mechanic to see if you have those kinds of transmission problems.

Last thing that you should be on the lookout for is an overheating transmission. That will be your biggest hint that there is a problem with your transmission. I see all the time cars brought into my Carlsbad auto repair shop that had that problem.  Most of the times it was brought in too late.  So rather than having an inexpensive repair it was a major repair.

You can avoid major expenses if you just follow those steps and observe your car.It is a simple task and it can save you a lot on expenses and repairs.

The transmission is one of the most expensive parts of a car to be repaired. Most cars are built well nowadays.But it will be broken over time and it is vey expensive to fix.So you should make sure that you regularly maintain the transmission of your vehicle. With that in mind let’s look at some signs of transmission problems.

First thing that can signal a problem with the transmission is by looking at the fluids.With a dipstick you can check if there are signs of a leak in your fluid levels. If you notice that the fluid level is always low then that might be a sign of a leak.A sure sign of a problem is if the liquid isdark already and has a burnt smell.Always check the fluids of your car to make sure that there won’t be any major damage in the transmission of your car. If you notice any of thesse signs you must immediately go into an auto repair shop.  I catch a lot of transmission problems early in my San Marcos transmission repair shop with these signs alone.

Another sign of a problem of your transmission would be when there is a delay when you are shifting it into drive. If it takes your gear a moment to get in place when you shift then that would be a sign of problem. They call that problem a delayed engagement. This is a sign of a worn out transmission problem but there can be other causes. I have all my clients take it into my San Marcos auto repair shop anytime they get the delayed engagement problem.

Finally when you are driving the vehicle if shifting of gears is jerky there is a problem.All shifting done when driving should be smooth and not jerky.This would be the sign that your transmission is worn out because every time you shift gear your car jerks. I catch a lot of problems early in my Carlsbad transmission repair shop when this happens.By detecting problems earlier, a customer can save more money instead of spending it on repairs.

One of the most costly repairs you can have for your car is the transmission.It is a huge part of your automobile.Being sure to take care of it is really important.By making sure your car is taken care of you will save yourself a little bit of money.Since this is a repair you can’t do on your own, you still have some things that you can check.By doing the checking first at home, you can verify if you really need to bring it in.

First off since I own a San Marcos Auto repair shop I know how expensive transmission repairs can be.So i like to have my clients do some checks themselves prior to taking it in.  This way they can make sure they need to come in.First thing they can check is the fluid.The fluid needs to be real clear.If you find that the fluid is black or dark, that is a warning sign of problems and the car has to be brought in.

A second thing they can look at is how the gear shifts.You accomplish this by simply moving the gears from park to drive.  Or you can move it from park to reverse.What you are trying to see is if the gears do the shifting smoothly.What you don’t want to feel is any jerking motion.If you find that your car is jerking that is an indication of problems with your transmission.  In my Carlsbad transmission repair shop this is one of the big signs of transmission problems.  A lot of cars that come in have this very problem.

Finally you can check for any leaks of your transmission fluid.This is another thing you can do with your dipstick.But you won’t know unless you perform this check regularly.  I advise all my customers in my Carlsbad auto repair shop to always check your fluids.  People are familiar with checking for oil.  But they should also check their transmission fluid.  This way they can tell if their fluid is leaking.

If you perform these steps on your car you are making sure your transmission stays in good condition.

One of the most costly repairs on a car is the transmission.It is one of those things you hate hearing about in regards to repairing your car.  So of course most people want to know how to make it last longer.Or they really are wanting to know can it be done. Like anything it is possible.You can do things that will help it last longer and that is by taking care of it.But here are some more things that are more specific in helping your transmission get more life.

First thing you always want to do is maintain proper fluid level.Just like most things in your vehicle you want to have your fluids at the right level.But when you are talking about your transmission it is important to making it last longer.  Whenever a client takes there car in to the Carlsbad transmission repair shop I run I always check their fluids.I am always talking to my customers to make sure they understand to watch their fluid levels.If they attempt to drive their car with fluids that are low they will definitely ruin their transmission.Or it will not give them as much life as they want.

Second thing you have to know is that heat can hurt your transmission.  So what you want to do is make sure you keep your transmission cool.  One of the best ways to do that is to add transmission cooler.You can find some easily at an auto parts dealer.  Of course when clients come and bring their cars in to our San Marcos auto repair shop we add it in also.This allows the transmission to run a lot cooler.

Lastly here is one that is easy.Don’t ever try to shift the gears while your car is moving.  You will be surprised at the number of people who ruin their cars by shifting gears while the car is moving.  I am not because we see it all the time in our Carlsbad auto repair shop.  People bring their cars in with ruined transmissions because they shifted while moving.

One of the most expensive repairs a car can have are transmission problems. In general like most of your car they are built well.But it will be broken over time and it is vey expensive to fix.So you should make sure that you regularly maintain the transmission of your vehicle. With that in mind let’s look at some signs of transmission problems.

First thing that can signal a problem with the transmission is by looking at the fluids.With a dipstick you can check if there are signs of a leak in your fluid levels. If you find out that the level of the fuid is always low then that could be a sign of a leak.  If the fluid is dark or has a burnt smell that is a sure sign of problems.So to be sure that your car does not suffer any major problems with the transmission make sure that you check your fluids regularly. If you find any of these signs take it into a auto repair shop.  I catch a lot of transmission problems early in my San Marcos transmission repair shop with these signs alone.

Another sign of transmission problems is when you have a delay when you shift it into drive. If you shift it and it takes a moment to get into gear that is a sign of a problem. That problem is called as the delay of engagement. This could be caused by a worn out transmission or another problem. I have all my clients take it into my San Marcos auto repair shop anytime they get the delayed engagement problem.

Last sign of problem that I know of is when you shift the gears and it is jerky then that would be another sign of problems to come.All the shifitng done when one is driving should not be jerky and should not slip.If your car jerks everytime you shift gear then that would be a sure sign of a worn out transmission. I catch a lot of problems early in my Carlsbad transmission repair shop when this happens.By detecting problems earlier, a customer can save more money instead of spending it on repairs.

Cars right now are better made than the cars before.Even those cars that were considered cheap and not a good car last longer now.But even if cars are more durable now problems still happen from time to time.A transmission problem is one of the biggest problems a car can acquire.It can also be one of the most expensive and not just one of the biggest problems. 

So here are some things to look for that I have learned running my San Marcos transmission repair company.  First of all you want to keep good transmission fluid levels.  If you don’t you could burn up your transmission fast.So make sure to have your dipstick always so you can check the fluid levels regularly.Be sure it is at a stable level. 

Second while you are checking it you want to check to see if it is dirty.A transmission fluid that is dirty is a sign of problems that would come.Have your car checked immediately if you see any black fluid or if it already dirty.  I get cars in all the time at my Carlsbad transmission repair shop that have this problem. But in bringing in their cars early for checkups they were able to avoid more expensive repairs or replacements.

So if you decide to do the maintenance yourself you should be cautious.Be sure to buy the right type of fluid for your car’s transmission when you plan to change fluids.It can be surprising but people make mistakes and they sometimes put in a wrong type of fluid.If someone accidentally does this mistake then the transmission of his/her car would burn up in no time.So be sure to check that you are putting in the right kind when changing your fluid.  I tell all my clients of my San Marcos auto repair shop when in doubt just have professionals do it for you.It makes sense because this part of your car is very expensive to replace.

So if you look for these few things you can save your transmission.  Doing this only takes a few minutes but can save thousands.

Being Savvy With Car Maintenance 

Some auto maintenance tasks are critical to ensure your vehicle runs smoothly and lasts a long time. For example, getting oil changes every 5,000 miles, keeping the right amount of pressure in your tires, and changing your air filter occasionally are important. That said, there are plenty of car maintenance items that are a waste of your time and money.

The problem is that dealership service centers and local repair garages often give advice that is suspect. Much of what they say is to increase their sales rather than making sure your vehicle operates properly.

Because ongoing car maintenance is so important to the life of your vehicle, I’ll describe the tasks you should be doing as well as those which you can do without.

Mind Your Tires

Despite the myriad of parts under the hood, your tires on the only parts that actually contact the ground (hopefully). Be sure to check you vehicles tire pressure monthly. Tires leak over time; they need to be filled. If they’re underinflated, the treads will wear down and you’ll end up replacing them far sooner than normal. Also, rotate them occasionally. The tires in the rear have more longevity than those in the front. Rotating them keeps the tread wear even.

Tune-Ups: Are They Necessary

If you’re driving a vehicle that is less than 10 years old, you probably don’t need a tune-up. The point of a tune-up is to adjust and recalibrate mechanical parts. These days, most of the parts (i.e. oxygen sensor, ignition switch, fuel injection system, etc.) are computer operated. As a result, there is very little to “tune up.”

Regular Oil Changes

Years ago, when engines were less sophisticated and motor oil was less advanced, a trip to the oil change shop every 3,000 miles was a good idea. However, that’s no longer the case. Today’s cars only need to have the oil changed every 5,000 miles.

Maintain Your Brakes

Every time you press down on your brake pedal, your brakes experience a little wear and tear. If you neglect them long enough, you’ll eventually hear a painful grinding sound as exposed metal rubs against other metal. Visit a repair shop as soon as you notice any problems. If you catch it early enough, you may only need to have the pads replaced. When you hear grinding sounds, the rotor more than likely is bad and needs to be replaced.

Change Your Air Filter

Your air filter has an important job: it needs to catch dirt and debris before it enters your car’s engine. Every time you are on the road, it performs it's job dilegently. The problem is that it gets clogged with debris over time. When that happens, air flow becomes restricted which can affect your engine’s performance.

Check the air filter each time you change the oil. The dirtier the streets on which you drive, the more quickly debris will accumulate. They’re inexpensive, so they can be replaced without breaking the bank.

While the car runs smoothly today, all car parts eventually degrade and need replacement due to the wear and tear. Invest time on the auto maintenance tasks above to make sure your vehicle lasts as long as possible.