San Diego Auto Repair

Modern cars have lights for everything channeled through sophisticated computers full of reminders. When you first get a newer car, it’s typically under warranty and the dealer turns off the reminders when you go in for the services. As your new car ages, you might decide to postpone a scheduled service, or do some maintenance in your own garage. But how do you get those pesky lights to turn off? Image: Flickr First, take a look at your owner’s manual and make sure you aren’t doing any damage by turning off the service reminder light without performing the service - there is a reason these lights are on! Some cars have an oil change reminder light, a service that many people choose to perform in their own driveway. Other cars have a service light that comes on at specific mileages (30K, 60K ... read more

Older Car Care There are few things as frustrating as car troubles. In addition to not being able to get around, you are often looking at expensive bills and a struggle to understand what’s wrong. Older cars have these issues more frequently, making the owners of these cars question whether the trouble is worth not having a car payment. You already know that regular maintenance is crucial to keeping an older car on the road; we identify 6 ways to get the most out of car maintenance and necessary auto repairs, making it easier to save time and money on your car. Image: Flickr How to get the most out of your auto repairs Provide a detailed description of the problem to service writer First and foremost, make sure you fully explain the problem your car is having to the se ... read more

Driving Alternative Fuel Cars in San Diego Like we've said before, alternative fuel cars are pretty great, but people want to know how they actually drive. We're here to answer that question; having driven the latest and most popular alternative fuel vehicles for the better part of a week (only up and down the notorious Southern California freeways, but to be fair that can be quite the punishment), we better understand how alternative fuel cars really drive. If you're looking for our thoughts on diesels or hybrids, check out Part 1. For now, we're going to discuss the latest and greatest plug-in hybrids, all electric cars, and those really alternative fuels, hydrogen and natural gas. Plug-in Hybrids Image: James Hamel2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid vs ... read more

Alternative fuel cars are great - they save you loads on gas, they do a pretty decent thing for Planet Earth, some get you into the carpool lane on your solo commute, and they're even starting to look pretty darn stylish. But how do they drive? Dear readers, we are about to tell you which alternative fuel cars we think are the future and which ones we could hardly tolerate during our brief time together. Just to be clear, we drove these cars like we normally would drive a car and abstained from cruel or unusual tests, unless you count the insane freeways of Southern California as cruel and unusual. And in some of these vehicles, doing just that was torment enough... but we'll talk about the Nissan Leaf in Part 2 (ba-dum-bah!). Brains and Beauty - Fun To Drive Alternative Fuel Cars We have got a lot of automotive ground to cover and a bunch of different ways to refuel each of these vehicles. So pay attention, you don ... read more

While many people assume energy efficiency in driving is limited to the fuel efficiency rating of your vehicle, there are other ways to increase your energy efficiency without moving to a hybrid vehicle or spending a ton. Obviously, having an energy efficient car is going to give you a leg up over more gas guzzling models, but you can't expect to get 50 MPG if you're constantly pushing your Prius to its limit. Top Gear showed us that driving style plays a huge role in how fuel efficient your car actually is (a BMW beat a Prius in fuel efficiency in their race test). So then, what does it mean to be energy efficient while driving? Image: Flickr  1. Keep your vehicle maintained. Making sure your car has a clean air filter, properly inflated tires ... read more

Alternative fuels sources are a hot topic for the news media as well as researchers as oil-based fuels such as gasoline and diesel become more scarce. Alternative fuel means anything that doesn't run soley on gasoline, and includes hybrid vehicles (that run on a combination of gasoline and other fuels), electric vehicles, natural gas fueled vehicles, and biofuel vehicles (vehicles that use a fuel made from corn or other organic sources). So, what are the renewable resources out there being tapped to power our automotive futures? San Diego is quickly adopting alternative fuel stations to facilitate this new car market - electric car charging stations are in most major shopping centers and CNG and other fuel stations are already here. Are you seeing any of these alternative fuel stations pop up in your neighborhood? Image: Flic ... read more

A car can be more than just simple transportation – for instance, it’s often the most valuable thing you own! Make sure it stays in tiptop shape to ensure it lasts as long as you need it to. Here are 10 ways to extend the life of your vehicle and keep it going for as long as possible (both mechanically and physically): Image: FlickrRoutine Maintenance The number one way to keep your vehicle running smoothly for long periods is to keep up on routine maintenance. Make sure your fluids are all changed when required, including oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, and transmission fluid. Give Convoy Auto Repair a call if you think you might be overdue! Service Intervals Another step in the routine maintenance category is to keep up with your major services. Nearly every vehicle has a major service due ... read more

It’s common knowledge that you need to change your oil regularly to keep your car running well. Did you know you also need to change your coolant? In the past, car owners would change their anti-freeze every fall, making sure they were ready for the colder winter months (well... maybe not in San Diego!). Modern coolant doesn’t need to be changed quite that often, but it does still lose its effectiveness over time, and flushing coolant will remove buildup, if you have it. Image: Wikipedia Coolant/anti-freeze does two things for your vehicle. It prevents the water from boiling out as it moves through special chambers through the engine, into the radiator and back again and it prevents the water from freezing inside those chambers when the temperatures get low. The chemicals that make up coolant break down ... read more

Are you prepared for some common scenarios that could come up with your car or on the road? Here are 5 things to always have in your car for a “just in case” situation, or to be a handy helper for someone else. Image: FlickrTire Pressure Gauge Not sure if your tire is leaking? Pull out your gauge and keep an eye on it! You should be keeping your tires properly inflated and checking pressures regularly, but if you think a tire might be leaking, checking the pressure every morning can help you decide if you have a hole that needs repaired, or if it was just an optical illusion. Jumper Cables It happens to everyone. It’s a rainy morning,  you leave your lights on after the drive in to work, and by the afternoon your battery is dead. If you have jumper cables ... read more

The 2014 San Diego International Auto Show has come and gone once again, leaving us as quickly as it came. Running from Wednesday, January 1st through Sunday, January 5th, the San Diego International Auto Show is an important milestone in global auto shows. First, Southern California is the epicenter from which so many automotive trends spread across the world, and second because San Diego's is the first auto show in the actual “new year.” This show is also a great place to scope out your next car because the smaller space allows potential car buyers to compare models almost side by side, have a seat in most, and even drive a few without the pressure you get at dealerships (and even take home financial incentives from the display booths!) Many automakers new model years can begin in June of the previous year, which means we saw cars displaying ... read more