Our Expert Automotive Service & Collision Repair Blog

Since the Denver and Colorado stay-at-home orders went into effect, traffic has decreased dramatically and the air quality has increased with 20% - 30% reductions in Nitrogen dioxide, Nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide.  This will not last as Colorado reopens idled businesses; none the less, it would be nice to retain a little of the gain as the state transitions to safer-at-home and folks return to work. A significant number of workers may continue to work from home thus reducing traffic, but for the current fleet of vehicles, maintenance can make a big difference in how cleanly they operate.

It’s October and you are probably saying to yourself, “Here’s Jim again telling me about tires and the Colorado Traction Law.” Well, you are mostly right, but effective August 2, 2019 the law changed as a result of HB1207 by the Colorado Legislature.

We just returned from a cruise to Italy, Sicily, Malta, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and finally 10 days on land in Israel. If that sounds like a lot of places to visit, you’re right, it was a whirlwind trip. We were on a plane, ship, a lot of buses, taxis, trains, 4x4, jeep and a rental car. To be honest, besides the ship, only because of the food, our favorite mode of transportation was driving ourselves around Israel. Using Google or Waze takes getting lost out of the equation so you can simply drive at your pace and visit on your timetable the places you want to visit.

Hybrid vehicles continue to capture more market share, but remain a small fraction of all vehicles sold. Due to federal fuel economy standards that require a manufacturer's average fuel economy to reach 54.5 mpg by 2025, car manufactures will continue building more hybrids.

Recently AAA did a study of gasoline and concluded that in the long run, it is less expensive to buy TOP TIER™ gasoline than nonrated fuel especially since the price differential is only about three cents. First of all, what is TOP TIER™ gasoline? In 1995 the EPA developed a standard for detergent additives and cleaners that must be in all gasoline, but as engines advanced, automakers saw the need for a better additive package. In 2004 six automakers (General Motors (GM), BMW, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, and Audi) got together to create a new standard requiring significantly higher levels of cleaners, because the existing standard did not ensure optimal engine performance. If a retailer is selling TOP TIER™ gasoline, the enhanced additive package will be in all of the grades (octane levels). AAA found in the study that non-TOP TIER™ gasoline caused 19 times as many carbon deposits as TOP TIER™ gasoline. These carbon deposits will reduce fuel economy, increase emissions and degrade vehicle performance, especially on newer vehicles.

The latest automobile dependability study by J. D. Power came out last month.

J. D. Power based their ratings on interviews with 80,000 vehicle owners who were asked about the problems they experienced during the past year on their 2016 vehicles. The survey covers 177 specific problems in eight categories. These are 1. Exterior; 2. Features, Controls, Displays; 3. Seats; 4. Interior; 5. Driving Experience; 6. Audio, Communication, Entertainment, Navigation; 7. HVAC; 8. Engine & transmission.

Collision repair technology is changing faster than ever before. New materials like high strength and ultra-high strength steel require new repair methods and new equipment. These stronger materials help control crash energy and direct it around the passenger compartment. Ultra high steel cannot be straightened and must be replaced. Even though vehicles are becoming lighter, they are also stronger and safer. In 2018, the Honda Odyssey is 100 pounds lighter, the Chevy Equinox is 400 pounds lighter and the Chevy Traverse/Buick Enclave are 300 pounds lighter than the corresponding 2017 models. Many car makers have gone to aluminum to save weight with applications like hoods and lift gates all the way to Ford’s F150 and Explorer with complete aluminum bodies.

The purpose of a timing belt, timing chain or timing gears is to keep the valves synchronized with the pistons. The intake valves open to let the air-fuel mixture into the cylinder, the valves are closed during the compression and power strokes and the exhaust valves are open during the exhaust stroke. If the system loses its synchronization the valves are likely to hit the pistons and bend. A broken chain or belt is one thing that causes loss of synchronization. Another is the premature failure of a tensioner or pulley. When this happens, major engine damage usually occurs.

Safe driving begins with tires. Automatic emergency braking is a great safety feature but not if your tires are worn out and can’t grip the pavement. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration states only 19% of consumers properly check and inflate their tires. Tires need to be checked on a regular basis for tread depth, wear, pressure and any signs of deterioration. When we perform routine maintenance we check safety items including your tires. Tires are expensive and why wear them out prematurely by ignoring their maintenance. We recommend tire rotation every 2nd oil change. Keeping track of the condition of your tires is critical and a job you don’t have to do alone.