San Diego Auto Repair

Editor's Note: This post comes from a former dealership service department employee (not based in San Diego) who is no longer employed by or affiliated with any service center. This is a true account of one employee's experiences at this specific dealership at one specific time. Many changes have been made at dealership service centers since then, and these issues are not necessarily true for all dealership service centers, automakers, or any service facility now. But it was this way once, and so the story begins. Some years ago now I worked at a dealership for a manufacturer (whose name I will not mention) as a service advisor, and I wound up being quite successful at it. Not for the reasons you may think, but mainly because I was the only one who always answered the phone, greeted customers who were being ignored, and generally acted like a respectful human towards our customers. It was not exactly a secret among the other employees as to who customers preferred to ... read more

One of the most common car issues out there is the dreaded dead battery. Luckily, it’s one of the easiest car problems to resolve on your own. Here’s how to change your car battery. Find the battery: Most manufacturers put the battery under the hood, but a few cars have batteries in unexpected locations such as the trunk or under the passenger floorboards. If you can’t find yours, check your owners manual to see where it might be. Disconnect the black cable first; using an appropriately sized wrench, loosen the nut that holds the cable onto the terminal. Carefully twist and pull up to remove the cable from the terminal. Disconnect the red cable: Now do the same thing for the red cable! Your battery terminals may have a lot of corrosion on them, depending on how your battery has aged. You can remove the corrosion by making a paste of baking soda and water and gently applying it to the terminals, letting it sit, and then wiping it off ... read more

The sun is shining here in So-Cal and we are more than ready to welcome summer weather! Whether you're always thinking about your dream convertible or you've always appreciated more practical cars, there's no denying the allure of a shiny convertible. And because we're dreamers, too, here are our favorite drop tops. 2015 Ford Mustang - Nothing says California dreamin' like a Mustang convertible. Ever since its release in 1964, the Mustang has captured the essence of what it means to be a sporty convertible. The Mustang comes with a convertible option at each price point, from the thrifty V6 all the way up to the GT trim. (We’re partial to the 2.3 EcoBoost option ourselves.) The 310 horsepower and 320 ft. lbs of torque are more than enough for a spirited city or mountain road drive without breaking the bank. And, best of all? You can still option this car with a manual transmission! 2015 BMW 4 Series - If you’re after som ... read more

Spring has nearly sprung for those of us on the West Coast, and it’s time to think about spring cleaning. Before you go diving into that hall closet, have you thought about spring cleaning your car? Throughout the year, all kinds of gunk gets into the nooks and crannies of your car. Here are a few tips and tricks for spring cleaning your ride! Cup Holders: These always seem to be a magnet for grime and dirty pennies. The condensation from your drinks merges with the general fuzz and dirt that accumulates in a car and together they form some kind of unholy paste that seems impossible to remove. We always start with a good vacuum of the cup holders, just to get anything loose out of there. Then we use a cleaning solution (a simple all-purpose cleaner is fine) and a paper towel or sponge and really get in there to clean out the gunk. The same basic techn ... read more

If you told friends and family that you bought a used rental car, you’d probably get some shocked and confused reactions. Traditionally, buying a used rental car is something people approach with great fear and trepidation. Rental car mentality might as well be an invitation to abuse and be careless with the car, especially if you bought the agency’s insurance. But then if you told friends and family what you paid for your used rental car, you’d be sure to get reactions mixed with more shock and understanding. Used rental cars generally have a lower resale value than their non-rental brethren on the used car lot, which make buying one highly affordable. Pros of buying a used rental car Is the risk of buying a used rental car myth or fact? The truth is, despite their occasionally high mileage, most rental cars are very well taken care of. Unlike some owners, rental car agencies follow the maintenance schedules exactly as required by the manufacturer. You don’t k ... read more

As we move into spring, it seems that a lot of parents are thinking about their teenagers and cars. It’s one thing to teach a teen to drive on your car, but what about after they have a license? Not all cars are equally safe for teen drivers, and bigger doesn't always mean better (or safer). Here are some tips for picking out a first car for a new driver: Compact Car vs. SUV - This debate has been raging since SUVs were introduced to the marketplace, and in the end, there’s no real “better” option. SUVs can offer increased safety in the event of a major accident, but they are more challenging to handle safely on the road. The high center of gravity is great for visibility, but it increases the risk of a rollover. In the end, you need to see how your teen or new driver handles your car. A too-confident driver would probably benefit from a car with less power and easier h ... read more

Car maintenance costs are rarely taken into consideration with new cars, and only slightly more with used cars. Car buying sites like Edmunds.com and Kelly Blue Book provide 5-year estimates of the cost of ownership of a selected vehicle, including insurance costs, fuel spend, and dealer recommended maintenance (at dealership rates), but even those estimates don’t tell the whole story. Often, drivers don’t realize this until they’ve already bought the car (or have owned a similar car in the past). While these needs don’t always result in massive maintenance costs, it is a good idea to be fully prepared before buying your next ride. Regardless of how old or new your car is, or what type of powertrain it has, you can usually save money on maintenance and repairs by taking it to an independent auto shop (like Convoy Auto Repair) rather than the dealership. It’s not just our friendly mechanics and personalized attention that keeps our customers coming back, af ... read more

San Diego might have the most desirable weather in the United States. With an average of 70-degree temperatures all year, and rare days of rain, it’s practically an oasis. For those of us who live here, the steady, reliable weather is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, 70 and sunny is great, but what about some variety? Luckily, we have our local mountains to experience real seasons just a short drive away from home, and there’s always visiting friends and relatives in other states. Unluckily, we don't have much experience driving in inclement weather. Image ... read more

San Diego may not have much of a winter, but when we do have rain and snow in our county borders, we’re at a loss for how to handle it. Lucky for us, car manufacturers have been making safer cars with more life-saving technology, a boon in winter weather! Taking a long weekend drive to Mammoth or Big Bear are no longer transportation unknowns. Here are our top 10 all wheel drive cars for winter: Image: Flickr1. Subaru Outback ... read more

Have you ever had a car that ran low on coolant? Or perhaps a car that overheated without warning? Coolant leaks are an indicator of a serious problem in any car. In this video, we see a 2002 Jeep Liberty that was constantly running low on coolant. The owners never saw any leaking on the ground, so they were stumped. They brought the Jeep into Convoy Auto Repair to see what the problem was, and we discovered there was indeed a leak - just not where they thought! Coolant works together with the car's radiator to make sure the engine doesn't get too hot. Overheating can damage an engine to the point that's it's unusable, especially if you keep driving when it's overheating. The water pump, fan, and serpentine belts are crucial components of your engine that allow it to function properly in rough terrain (such as going up the mountains on ... read more