Car Care Tips for Kilgore, TX as well as Henderson, Longview, Tyler, Spring Hill, Gladewater, Overton, Mount Enterprise, Starville, Troup and Arp

How do I save on gas?

Use regular gasoline

If you don’t need premium gas, don’t buy it! Unless your owners manual specifically states that you need premium for your vehicle, you’re just throwing away money. Using regular gas over the others has the potential to save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Don't top off

As tempting as it might be, never top off when filling your car up with gas. That extra gas justs sloshes around and ends up seeping out, actually costing you more money! Always stop pumping at the first sign your tank is full.

Tighten up the gas cap

Loose, broken, and missing gas caps lower your gas efficiency 1% to 2%. This leads to an estimated 147 million gallons of gas lost each year to evaporation. No one likes to lose money, so be sure you check your gas cap every time your fill up.

Go for the shade

As the temperatures begin to climb outside, so do the temperatures inside your car. The constant high temps zap your gas from your tank. To combat this park in the shade whenever possible and make use of window shades. Your wallet will thank you.

Use your garage for your car

Do you have access to a garage but keep it packed full of stuff. It’s time to clean in out and make room for your car. By using your garage this way you protect your car from the elements and you protect your wallet by not having to use your AC and defroster as much.

Pump up your tires

Driving on under inflated tires causes them to wear out quicker and lower your car’s gas mileage, sometimes as much as 15 percent!

Check your tire pressure once a month

Check your tire pressure on a regular basis and compare it with the recommended pressure listed in your owners manual. Under inflated tires can cost your big money. A great time to check your tire pressure is early in the morning after your car’s been idle over night.

Keep your engine in tune

Fixing an out of tune vehicle has the potential to boost your gas mileage by almost 4 percent! Be sure to schedule regular tune-ups and watch out for worn spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce your gas mileage by as much as 30%.

Replace air filters

When your air filter gets clogged with dirt, dust, and other debris, it causes your engine to work harder and lose fuel efficiency. By replacing your clogged air filter you can improve your gas mileage by 1 percent and save your 15 cents a gallon! Be sure to change your car’s air and oil filter every three months or 3,000 miles.

Use the right oil

Make sure you use the grade of motor oil that is specified by your manufacturer. Doing so has the potential to improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent.

Don't skimp on maintenance

When your car is properly maintained your wallet benefits. Routine maintenance has the potential to save you thousands of dollars in repair costs. Your owner’s manual will tell you what types of maintenance you need to have done and when.

How Do I prepare for a long trip?

Have your regular maintenance done

A week or so before you leave, have regular maintenance done, like oil and filter change, or routine maintenance. Specifically, ask the shop to check the air filter and change it if necessary. Changing the air filter is an inexpensive way to enhance fuel economy and performance. Also have them check the tires again. If the pressure has gone down since the last check, you may have a leak that can be fixed on the spot.

Have your repair shop check the tire pressure and adjust it if necessary

If the pressure is too low, it can cause a blowout at high speed. Also have them check the tread on the tires for excessive wear. (You can also do this yourself by placing the head of a penny into the tread of the tire. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, you probably need new tires.) Be sure to have your repair shop check to see that the spare tire is inflated and the appropriate tools are available to install it if necessary.

Have the auto repair shop check the coolant

Are you going somewhere with a warmer or colder climate? Let your repair shop know so your mechanic can adjust the mixture of water and antifreeze to ensure the car is protected against temperature extremes.

Buy a road atlas or GPS

If you don’t have a current road atlas, get one. Hours and hours of expressway can get boring. Getting off the beaten path can add an entirely new dimension to your trip.

Clean out your car

The day before you leave, thoroughly wash and vacuum the car. It’s much nicer to have your trip in a clean car.

Make sure your paperwork is in order

Make sure your license, registration and insurance are all current and accessible.

Fill the gas tank

Might as well get it out of the way now. Besides, gas is often more expensive on the road.

Look at what you’ve packed

Open your suitcases and take one last look — do you really need all that stuff? Did you forget anything?

Relax!

Enjoy your trip!

Do I have to go to the dealership for repairs or scheduled maintenance?

No. In fact there are laws that require the factory to honor your warranty as long as you have proper documentation of the appropriate maintenance being done.

Just have any legitimate mechanic do it, and hold onto your records and receipts. If you have a maintenance schedule book, have the mechanic sign it.

Should I repair my car or buy a new one?

Something goes wrong with your car and you're faced with a high repair bill. It would be nice to get a new car, but is that the smartest decision? Would you be better off fixing your current ride, or is it really time to buy a new one? The answers to these questions will vary, so let me give you some information that might help you make a more informed decision.

Reasons to fix your current vehicle

If you aren't sure if fixing it is the right thing to do, here are a few reasons why it is a good idea to bite the bullet and get the repairs done.

• It is almost always less expensive to repair a car than buy a new one.
• Although something as severe as a blown motor or failed transmission will run you in the thousands of dollars to replace, it still isn't enough to buy a new car. (It would certainly make a nice down payment, but then there are the monthly payments to consider.)
• Insurance and registration fees will go up with a new car.
• A new car typically loses an estimated 20 percent of its value the moment you drive it off the dealer lot. Your existing car has already taken that depreciation hit
• Repairing it now will keep you on the road and give you more time to save up and get your finances in order.
• You have a sentimental attachment to your car. Maybe it was your first car, a gift from a loved one, or a dream car you finally were able to purchase. For you, buying a new car means giving up an old friend.

Reasons to buy a new car

There are times when it's time to buy that new vehicle. Here are some reasons for it:

• You don't want to worry constantly about future breakdowns. Your mechanic told you to expect more things to go wrong with your vehicle.
• You're tired of the back-and-forth to the repair shop. Some things are fixed the first time around, while others seem to need constant attention or do not get fixed right the first time. Either way, trips to the mechanic are costing you too much time away from work or family, in addition to money.
• You're tired of your old car. Perhaps it embarrasses you, it rattles like crazy or you have to bang on the A/C to get it working. Every morning when you walk outside and see the neighbor's car, you long for something new. That's perfectly normal. Just take a good look at your budget and make an honest assessment of your financial situation.
• You want something safer. Your car is old enough where it's simply not safe to drive.

When is it time to buy another car?

A good rule of thumb to estimate when it's time to throw in the towel, is if the cost of repairs is greater than either the value of the vehicle or one year's worth of monthly payments and increased insurance payments.

Get an honest estimate

The only way to make an accurate decision, is to know what to expect. Ask your mechanic to fully inspect the vehicle and let you know what it really needs to run like new.

How often should I change my oil?

For maximum protection, most oil companies say to change the oil every 3,000 miles or three to six months regardless of what type of driving you do.

A new engine with little or no wear can probably get by on 7,500 mile oil changes. But as an engine accumulates miles, it dumps more unburned fuel into the crankcase which dilutes the oil. This causes the oil to break down. So if the oil isn't changed often enough, you can end up with accelerated wear and all the engine problems that come with it (loss of performance and fuel economy, and increased emissions and oil consumption).

Regular oil changes as part of preventative maintenance are cheap insurance against engine wear, and will always save you money in the long run if you keep a car for more than three or four years.

What about the oil filter?

To reduce the costs of vehicle ownership and maintenance, many car makers say the oil filter only needs to be replaced at every other oil change. Most mechanics will tell you this is false economy.

The oil filters on most engines today have been downsized to save weight, cost and space. The "standard" quart-sized filter that was once common on most engines, has been replaced by a pint-sized (or smaller) filter. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that a smaller filter has less total filtering capacity. Even so, the little filters should be adequate for a 3,000 mile oil change intervals — but may run out of capacity long before a second oil change at 6,000 or 15,000 miles. Replacing the oil filter every time the oil is changed, therefore, is highly recommended.

Is my car safe to drive?

This is a very important question. There are several things that could make a vehicle unsafe to drive as well as things that could damage it more if it were driven. The best thing to do if there is any question in your mind is:

Call your auto repair shop

Your mechanic will be able to assess the situation enough to let you know if it's safe for you to drive or if it needs to be towed.

Don't under any circumstance drive an unsafe vehicle!

If there is any question on the safety of your vehicle, we will help you arrange to get it towed to our shop.

Save money on repairs

Automotive technicians are often compared to doctors. This comparison undoubtedly makes some techs smile and others grimace. But in the end, the two professions have a lot in common. It may surprise consumers to find that by choosing these professionals wisely, they can get better care at a better price.

When it comes to choosing a repair shop, many experts praise the virtues of the clean facility, a wall covered with ASE certificates or a coffee pot and some tasty snacks. While these items are important, these four vital questions tell most of the story:

1. Will the service advisor or tech take time to listen to your description of the car’s problem?
2. Can they explain things to you in laymen’s terms?
3. If necessary, will they test-drive the car with you?
4. Do they have the knowledge and equipment to diagnose and repair it the first time?

Back to the doctor/technician comparison. Some doctor’s are great diagnosticians. They can pin point a problem when their peers are coming up with empty charts. What’s the difference between that doctor and the people wearing white coats? Possibly his/her knowledge and perhaps equipment, but probably it’s listening skills that sets the really great docs apart from the good ones.

When choosing a professional, the variety that looks after your car or the variety that looks after your body, ask them the four-questions. In effect, audition them. See how the doctor takes care of your flu and how the tech deals with an oil change before visiting with something more serious.

Watch how they handle their time and be aware of how much time is allotted to you. Are they tuned into your problems and asking relevant questions? Are they providing an objective opinion based on information they’ve gathered during your discussion? Can they explain the problem and solution to you in laymen’s terms?

The bottom line is this, time is money. The less time these people are willing to spend with you often multiplies the amount of time needed on the back end. In the case of both the doctor and tech, the extra time spent having to fix you or your car a second or third time not only is expensive, it can be detrimental to the car or patient’s condition.

We only hire the best technicians and service advisors with the ability to handle any situation you have with your vehicle. That’s the reason we have built the reputation of being the most knowledgeable shop in the area.

Winter weather automotive tips

When winter is upon us, there are some tips that can help you prepare for the changes in the weather that can surprise any of us. Taking some basic actions to be prepared will make it easier for you to be ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at us.

When using your heating system, there are some tips to help keep you warm and your windows clear. When using your defroster, make sure you are using the fresh air from the outside of the car. Have you ever seen someone driving down the road and all the windows are fogged up? The reason is the car is using the inside air in the car and the system can't get rid of the moisture in the air. And that's why the windows fog up. Also, using the air conditioning in this mode helps too since one of the things the A/C system does is remove the moisture from the air and with the heat on you will keep the inside of the car warm. In fact some of the newer cars automatically turn on the A/C and use fresh air in defrost mode. If you don't know about your vehicle, look in your owner's manual, or just drop by and we will be glad to show you how it works.

Your wipers are also key to keeping your windows clean. Making sure you have the proper washer fluid that is ready for the cold weather will also help you do this. Having a snow brush in the car with an ice scraper will keep you prepared for whatever happens.

Keeping your tires inflated properly and make sure you have good tread will help you with traction and control. A lot of the newer cars have great things like anti-lock brakes and traction control which help with the bad weather. But these systems work much better when you have the most grip you can with good tires.

All of these things mentioned above are checked every time we service your vehicle because we want you to be safe while driving, especially during this time of year. If you would like to stop by we would be glad to check these things for you

Summer weather automotive tips

Summer can be tough on cars, especially during high temperatures when heat can destroy batteries and stress the cooling system and tires. As a precaution, these vehicle components should be checked periodically during summer to help avoid breakdowns and car problems, according to the Car Care Council.

Life of your Battery

Excessive heat and overcharging shorten the life of a battery. Heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, which then damages the internal structure of the battery. A malfunctioning component in the charging system, usually the voltage regulator, allows too high a charging rate, which will eventually destroy a battery. To get the most life out of a battery, the council recommends having the electrical system checked to make sure it is charging at the correct rate. If your car’s battery is the type that needs to be topped off, check it often, especially in hot weather and add distilled water if necessary. Keep the top of the battery clean. Dirt can become a conductor, which drains battery power. If corrosion accumulates on battery terminals, it becomes an insulator and inhibits the current flow.

The Cooling System

The cooling system also works harder during hot temperatures to prevent overheating of the engine. To keep the cooling system working effectively, the coolant and distilled water mixture for a vehicle’s radiator should be 50:50. As a reminder, never open a hot radiator cap when checking the coolant level in the reservoir. As a rule of thumb, the coolant should be changed annually on most vehicles. This will keep the cooling system fresh and clean inside, which helps prevent corrosion and assures that the coolant has the proper boiling point and protection.

A pressure test, thermostat test, a cooling fan test and a visual inspection for leaks and corrosion should also be done annually. Hoses and drive belts should be checked for cracks, bulges or frayed edges. The radiator should be kept clean by periodically using a garden hose and a soft brush to carefully remove bugs, dirt and debris.

Tire Care

Tires also need special care in warmer weather as high temperatures put added stress on them. To maximize tire life and safety, check the tire condition and inflation pressure monthly, and have the tires rotated every 6,000 miles. Summer heat will cause the pressure within a tire to rise, therefore, it’s important to check the pressure when tires are cold. The owner’s manual includes the recommended air pressure for your vehicle’s tires.

“It takes very little time and money to make sure your car runs properly during summer, and although breakdowns happen, they can definitely be minimized by taking a few extra preventive maintenance steps,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.