San Diego Auto Repair

There are many reasons not to text while driving, but the most important of these is your safety. Some studies show that texting while driving causes more accidents than talking on the phone or even drunk driving! Thankfully, there are several new mobile phone laws across the country that prohibit texting while driving, making the road a safer place. This fun little ditty from the ZoomSafer team features a truck driver who knows that to safely travel across the country, he must resist the temptation to text while driving. The illustrations and sing-a-long are pretty hilarious, but don't forget the important message behind the video: Stay alive, don't text and drive

Convoy Auto Repair, in partnership with the San Diego NAPA Business Development Group (BDG) and Homefront San Diego, worked together to donate a refurbished Ford Explorer to a military family in need last week. Homefront San Diego is made up entirely of volunteers, and offers assistance in emergency situations for military families who may need a little help in meeting thier needs. One of the biggest challenges military families face is unexpected expenses from vehicle breakdowns. “Roughly 42.4% of all of our expenditures are used to repair unexpected auto breakdowns,” said Mary Ann Tanner, a volunteer for Homefront. “Having local auto repair shops on our side to get costly repairs taken care of will make a huge impact on our families.” Other contributors to this donation were NAPA Auto Parts, and Carrera Auto ... read more

Something you're going to be hearing a lot about around San Diego, CA is diesel engines. We're not talking about semi-trucks and buses - We're talking about diesel engine cars, pick-ups and SUVs. Most people in San Diego, CA are surprised to learn that around half the cars on the road in Europe have diesel engines. Nearly all import auto manufacturers offer a range of diesel engines abroad - even the ultra-luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW. For the most part, these diesel engines haven't been available in San Diego, CA. But that's about to change. In the past, North American diesel fuel has had a much higher sulfur content than European fuel. Recent environmental laws have required changes in diesel formulation and emissions standards here in San Diego, CA so we are now ready to start seeing more diesel options offered over the next few years. Why are so many interested in diesel engines? Well first off, diesel fuel is more energy dense. There's more ... read more

Embed this Infographic on Your Blog:Car Repair Costs Across the USA Infographic created by Convoy Auto Repair

October is one of the most beautiful months in San Diego because it cools off just enough to let us stop sweating from the summer heat, but not so much that we're freezing. October also brings a month full of fun activities to be enjoyed by the whole family. Ocean Beach Oktoberfest is expanding to a two-day celebration this year, Friday, October 7th and Saturday the 8th. The festival will now feature entertainment both inside the beer garden and outside on the grassy area in front of the beach. On Friday, the Charger girls will be hanging out starting at 4:30 and from 4-7pm, you can enjoy the Beer Garden Band Slam and Happy Hour with six cover and tribute bands competing for the cash prize of $4,000. Other fun activities will include the sausage toss, the stein holding and bratwurst eating contest, and the fun run. The entire month of October has been deemed ... read more

So you love our job, and your family life is great: You have achieved balance. But can you the same for your wheels? You can tell if your tires are out of balance by vibrations at higher speeds. If one of the front tires is out, you feel the vibration in the steering wheel. If it's a back tire, you'll feel the vibration in your seat. Tires and wheels are pretty heavy. When a tire is mounted on a wheel, it is usually not perfectly balanced. So the tire technician will spin the tire on a machine to determine where it's too heavy. He will then place weights on the wheels in strategic locations to balance it out. When a tire is out of balance, it actually bounces down the road instead of rolling smoothly. Since the average size tire rotates at about 850 revolutions per minute at 60 MPH, it is actually slamming into the pavement 14 times a second. That's where you get your vibration. Most pe ... read more

If you've walked through the automotive fluids of an auto parts store, you'll know how overwhelming the sheer number of products available can be. How do you know what's right for your vehicle? As you know, these fluids all serve a function in making your car run as you drive around the area. Your vehicle manufacturer has specified a particular type of fluid for every system from the motor, to the cooling system, brake fluid and so on. When you realize that not every variation is applicable to your vehicle, the task becomes more manageable. First let's talk about why there are so many varieties. Starting with motor oil, we see that manufacturers match the properties of a particular weight or type of oil with the design needs of the engine. For example, engines with sophisticated valve trains often require a thinner weight of oil. Some vehicles come from the factory filled with synthetic oil and the recommendation to use it for life. The safe bet is to ... read more

The weather is cooling down in San Diego, but the events are heating up! This week is all about street fairs, philanthropy, and some good, old-fashioned, “horror” to get you in the mood for Halloween! The 30th annual Adams Avenue Street Fair is returning to San Diego this Saturday and Sunday, September 24th and 25th. This is Southern California’s largest free two-day music festival, featuring over 60 musical performances on six stages along Adams Avenue, Adams Avenue Park, and at Lestat's Coffee House. This year's headliners include El Vez, the Beat Farmers reunion, El Chicano, and Arthur Adams. Besides great live music, the festival will feature beer gardens, a micro brew tasting area, giant carnival rides and more than 200 food, arts and craft vendors. The Adams Avenue S ... read more

Everyone eventually replaces their tires, whether it's because they're worn out or they're just looking for something different. There are so many great tire choices, it can be difficult to sort them out. Let's group the broad spectrum into several categories that will help in the selection process. One category is often referred to as "summer tires". Summer tires are designed to be driven on the road when temperatures are generally above 45 degrees. Their tread design is optimized for traction on dry roads and they're also able to effectively displace water on rainy roads. Now the rubber compound gets a little hard and stiff as temperatures drop below 45 degrees as it occasionally does here in San Diego (like, maybe once every 5 years). And the tread which handles dry roads so well, can get packed with snow or mud - which provides very little traction in those conditions. So if you live where its summer all year round, these tires will work well for you. If you like ... read more

It seems Fall is arriving in San Diego with cooler temperatures and whole lot of fun activities for you and your family to enjoy together. Get some great home improvement ideas, learn about eco-friendly businesses in San Diego, and enjoy a wild performance by some crazy, blue dudes this week!All weekend long, September 16th, 17th, and 18th is the Fall Home and Garden Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. You can check out hundreds of exhibits of home-improvement products and remodeling ideas, along with hands-on demonstrations, and educational seminars. Regular admission tickets are $8 but you can purchase discount tickets online and there are also several coupon offers online as well. So, keep your eyes peeled! Saturday and Sunday is the 2011 Cardiff Surf Classic and Rerip ... read more