Hooray! You’ve decided to get a new car. You may even have your heart set on a certain make and model, but you just can’t decide whether to buy or lease your new car. When it comes to deciding whether to buy or lease, it’s best to consider the pros and cons of each option. Simply put, buying a car means it’s yours to do so as you please whereas leasing a car is similar to an extended rental. Leasing is like renting an apartment versus paying a mortgage for a home. Neither one is right or wrong, you’ll just need to decide which option works best for you, your finances, and your lifestyle.

Why You Should Consider a Lease

If you’re looking for a lower down payment and monthly payment, want the latest and greatest in technology, little to no maintenance costs, [...]

Beyond your steering wheel lies the dashboard, called the On-Board Diagnostic system or OBD, that shows detailed information on your vehicle’s operation and performance. In short, it’s a uniformed system that allows the vehicle to monitor and communicate via the car’s internal computer system or ECM/PCM. OBD is essential in monitoring major engine functions, electrical condition, and measuring vehicle emissions. A qualified technician utilizes the vital information that is stored by OBD to help determine what mechanical or electrical processes have failed in order to repair a vehicle.

What Is OBD?

The Check Engine Light is Part of the OBD

Sensors within the vehicle’s engine monitor and provide information to the vehicle’s computer to keep it performing optimally. The engine itself is a complex component and has many internal operations that work together in order to keep the vehicle moving forward. The internal computer [...]

Make the most of the new year by considering these New Year’s Resolutions for your car. There’s no sense in letting your car fall apart for the new year.

As such, with the new year ringing in, you may want to consider some of these resolutions to make sure your car’s health is as fit and revitalized as your own.

This article will discuss some of the top resolutions you can make for the longevity of your car. After all, you promised to improve your own health. Why not make sure your vehicle is healthy, too?

1. Oil Changes

You probably don’t think much about your car’s oil until you suddenly find yourself low on oil or your car makes that inevitable ding and informs you that it needs a change.

However, oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle. Just like the human body, without blood, it cannot function. A car cannot function–at least not function well–without [...]

There are only a few things that can bring more frustration than your car failing you in the morning. Cold weather can cause your car’s battery to malfunction, and some drivers may not understand why. However, by educating yourself on the facts, you will be able to avoid dealing with dead batteries during these frosty months.

In winter months especially, the sub-zero temperatures slow down the rate of chemical reactions required to fire up the battery and start the vehicle. Moreover, cold temperatures also make it hard for the engine to start thus making it require more power from the battery.

Additionally, below zero weather can freeze the battery. While a fully-charged battery is unlikely to freeze, one that is not fully-charged is susceptible to freezing. People also tend to use their cars much less during the cold months than [...]

What to Know About Your Car’s Gas Tank

Today, we would like to provide some detailed information for customers to understand the depth of problems that our mechanics face when working on fuel systems.

Gas is highly volatile.

Those Hollywood explosions that you see on TV are typically produced when large volumes of gasoline are detonated. You can easily set your car on fire if you work on fuel system problems without proper training and tools. All it takes is a little spark or contact with hot surfaces for gasoline to ignite on your vehicle and spread like wildfire.

OUCH!!!

We, therefore, recommend that you do not attempt to carry out these repairs yourself and instead seek professional help.

What Happens When Water Gets into Your Gas Tank?

It is NOT normal to get water in your gas tank.

[...]

If the air conditioner in your vehicle doesn’t keep you cool anymore, you might be in for an uncomfortable ride even on a relatively mild day. Unfortunately, the problem might not stop there. Some air conditioners can malfunction in such a way that they blow out hot air. There are a few possible solutions to this issue, and it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a qualified professional to get your car in working order once again.

Our guide will take you through the two most common types of problems car air conditioners exhibit, what the symptoms of these problems are, and some tips that might help you.

The Air Conditioner is Blowing Hot Air

If your air conditioner seems to be working but not blowing cold air or seems to be weak, a leak in the refrigerant, a problem with the [...]

A/C sealants, also known as stop leak, are designed to be a ‘quick fix’ to seal leaks in the A/C system. The sealant is activated when it reacts with oxygen and/or moisture.

However, sealants can crystallize in the system, which can cause more harm to the A/C system. While the leak is covered by the sealant, this seal could possibly only last a few months. Furthermore, the sealant will remain in the system, and it could react with moisture already in the system, which comes from low refrigerant, causing major issues to the whole A/C system.

Listed below are ways in which a sealant can negatively impact the A/C system:

1. Crystallization can happen in the orifice tube or expansion valve (where moisture is present) clogging or restricting the A/C system.
2. The crystallization restricts the oil flow back to the compressor causing compressor failure.
3. If a technician begins the process of recovering the system (without [...]

On some GM applications the high side service port is located past the condenser and before the orifice tube on the liquid line. This makes diagnosing by gauges deceiving. Usually, the high side port is found before the condenser. With the port in front of the condenser, it gives you a more accurate understanding of what the pressure truly is going into the condenser. With the high side after the condenser, you could show a pressure reading that is false, because the condenser could be partially blocked. Therefore, the only reading you are getting is what is exiting the condenser.

The correct way to diagnosis this type of system, with the service ports so close together, is through temperature testing:

• Check the temperature at the inlet and outlet of the condenser.  *An acceptable temperature differential is 30°-50°F .
• A low temperature differential [...]

Summer time Car Tips To Avoid The Auto Blues

Car giving you the summer time blues? From AC vs. rolling the windows down to keeping your pet safe, here are answers to your summer driving questions.

Like most people, chances are good that when summer time rolls around, you’re ready to get in the car and go. From a day trip to the beach to a weekend getaway, summer is all about traveling and having fun. With the snow gone and heavy spring rains in the past, you probably think nothing of getting in the car and taking off. But what you might not know is that the heat can be just as tough on your car as driving in winter. From keeping an eye on the coolant fluid to cooling off a parked car, here are some tips for safe and comfortable summer time driving.