2017
3 Ways To Reduce Your Car Service Costs
Cars that are properly maintained can serve their owners for a long time. However, unless you take proper precautions, your annual service costs can be very high. It is therefore essential to take steps to reduce your annual garage bill. Below are several tips that will enable you to reduce the amount of money you spend on car servicing. Follow the Owner’s Manual When purchasing a car, you are usually given an owner’s manual.
How Tow Bars Open Up Myriad Towing Possibilities for Your Car
A few car owners appreciate the various advantages that come with installing tow bars. The rest are probably not aware. Well, a tow bar, also known as a tow hitch, is a device fitted to the chassis of a car for towing purposes. It is permanently installed on your car; however, the tow ball can be detached when not towing anything. Tow bars essentially improve the functionality of your car in ways you could never have imagined.
What You Need to Know About Logbook Servicing for Your Vehicle
When you buy a new vehicle, it usually comes with a logbook, or a book that lists recommended service for the vehicle and when to have that service done over the years. It will also have room to note when such service was completed. If you buy a used vehicle, you can typically buy a blank logbook and fill it in yourself with this same information. If you’re new to vehicle ownership, or have always purchased used cars and don’t know why a logbook is used, note a few considerations about this book, so you know its purpose and how to make the most of it.
Spare Japanese Truck Parts Every Mechanic Should Keep on Hand
As a small mechanic shop, you will likely become very accustomed to working with the same car manufacturer brands over time. From time to time, however, you will likely run into instances where you will have a Japanese truck come in for repair. In these cases, you may find that certain Japanese truck parts are harder to find and have longer wait times on ordering than others. This means you will want to keep those parts on hand, and here are a few of them to consider.
3 Common Causes of Lean Check Engine Lights
The check engine light on your vehicle’s dashboard may light up in case the engine is running lean (too little fuel in the fuel/air mixture). This article discusses some of the factors that may trigger the lean codes to be registered by your vehicle’s control systems. Dirty Mass Airflow Sensors The MAF (mass airflow) sensor measures the volume of cool air that is entering the engine through the cold air intake system.
Trouble Signs in a Car Braking System
Your brakes are a vital part of your car’s safety and control mechanism. Brakes allow car drivers to slow down when travelling at high speeds and to bring the vehicle to a complete stop when parking. Being able to tell when something is wrong with your braking system will go a long way in ensuring you avoid complete brake failures, which can compromise your safety, that of your passengers, and that of other road users, but also result in costly repairs.
4 Important Checks Before You Buy a Used Freightliner
Are you shopping for a used freightliner truck to add to your fleet? Read on and discover some of the things that your mechanic should check before you buy a particular used truck. Analysis of Fluids Your mechanic should get samples of the different fluids, such as engine oil and differential oil, from the truck. These samples should then be analysed in order to identify whether any problems exist within the systems where those samples were taken from.
5 Money-Saving Strategies That Will Improve Your Car's Fuel Efficiency
The cost of fuel generally only goes up. Cash-strapped consumers often rely on their cars to get to work, so just getting off the road isn’t a realistic option. The good news is that there are things you can do to cut your fuel consumption without making drastic changes to your home and work arrangements. Learn how to make every tank of gas go as far as possible with these fuel-saving strategies.
Common Causes of Vehicle Engine Failure
A car’s engine will eventually fail, just like all other parts under the hood. However, neglecting needed car repairs and maintenance can often lead to early engine failure, and might also mean that your car runs rough or struggles to perform even while the engine is still working. Note a few of these common cause of vehicle engine failure that are the fault of the car owner, so you avoid them and so your car’s engine lasts as long as possible.
Yes, Your Car Does Need Transmission Repair!
If your car is having problems during shifting, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the transmission is in need of repair; for example, if you cannot get the car out of park, this may be the fault of a cable that connects the brake pedal to the shifter. This cable won’t allow you to shift out of park unless the car senses your foot on the brake; if this cable is broken, the car will be stuck, even though the transmission itself is fine.
3 Truck Problems That Are Easy to Misdiagnose
It’s easy to misdiagnose the cause of a problem you’re having with your vehicle, as many different parts will affect a vehicle’s steering, braking, performance, and overall handling. You may also hear noises from one part of the vehicle and assume that it’s a part in that area that is failing and causing that noise, when a completely different part may be in need of repair. Note a few tips for finding and addressing truck problems that are easy to misdiagnose, so you don’t waste time and money on unnecessary repairs.
The Benefits of Having a Car's Engine Rebuilt
Rebuilding a car’s engine is not as expensive as you might assume, and it can be the best choice for repairing or upgrading an older car, or any car with severe engine damage. If you’ve thought about engine rebuilding, note a few benefits of this work and why it may be the right thing for your classic car, aging car, or damaged car. Better performance An aging engine, or a newer engine that has been damaged but which still runs, may struggle to perform as it should.
Why Your Vehicle's Battery Keeps Dying
Your vehicle’s battery will eventually die, simply from wear and tear and everyday use. Many car owners also know that extreme heat and cold can drain car batteries before their expected lifespan, which might make you wonder why your vehicle’s batteries keep dying even though you keep the car in the garage, or when live in an area with a more mild climate. Note a few other reasons why your vehicle’s battery always drains well before it should, so you can address these issues and stop wasting money and power on a recharge, or an entirely new battery altogether.
What to Expect When You Take Your Car In for Tyre and Wheel Servicing
By continuously turning while you are driving, your car’s tyres and wheels make it possible for you to travel wherever you need to go. However, your tyres and wheels bear the most brunt of everyday driving and will need to be taken for servicing on a periodic basis. If you would like to familiarise yourself with what happens when you take your car to the car servicing centre or mechanic shop for tyre and wheel servicing, keep reading on:
Two situations in which you should take your car to a mechanic immediately
There are some car problems which can safely be ignored for many weeks (or even months). However, should you notice any of the following symptoms, you should have your car examined and repaired by a mechanic immediately. An oil leak near the rear axle The rear axle houses a very important component known as the differential. This item is made of several metal gears, which work together to allow the car’s wheels to spin at different rates when the vehicle is turning a corner.