San Diego Auto Repair

Today’s report from Convoy Auto Repair is on car batteries, why they die and what we can do to lengthen their life. Most of us have had a dead battery at one time or another. In fact, it would be very unusual if you hadn’t. You may be surprised to learn that only 30 percent of vehicle batteries last for 48 months. Now that’s an average. How long a battery lasts depends on many factors. You may not know that one of the biggest factors is the temperature where you live and drive around San Diego. You might suppose that cold weather was harder on batteries because it takes more power to crank a cold engine, but the opposite is actually true. Batteries in very cold climates have a life expectancy of 51 months as opposed to 30 months in very warm climates. The reason is simple: batteries are chemically more active when they’re hot than when they’re cold. A car battery will actually start to discharge on its own within 24 hours in hot weather. It takes se ... read more

February is a great month for events in San Diego, from movie festivals and museum exhibits to whale watching tours getting underway – read on to find out more. A by-women, for-women film festival, LUNAFEST is coming to Carlsbad for one night only on Feb 1, 2011 at the La Costa Resort & Spa. The festival was established in 2000 by the creators of LUNA bars to simultaneously promote women filmmakers, raise awareness for women’s issues, and support worthy non-profit organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. For additional details and email reminders about the event, check out the calendar. In case you hadn't noticed, San Diego is chock full of incredible museums. Starting February 1st, you can exp ... read more

In 1982, the California state government implemented their emissions program in order to come into compliance with Federal law, a program often referred to as the “smog check.” Vehicles are required to undergo a mandatory smog check at certified smog check stations in order to determine if their emissions currently meet the standard. If they do not, a technician can diagnose and solve any problems that a car may have. Many drivers wonder why they must undergo a check each year. It is, in large part, required to ensure that their vehicle's emissions have not changed over the course of the last 12 months. Roadway debris and weather can significantly affect a car, and so the state government mandates testing. Smog check stations must be certified in order to operate. Once certified, these stations can grant a California Emissions Certificate, which permits a car to be on the road. Stations are equipped with the technology to analyze exhaust f ... read more

New car dealerships are happy to leave you with the impression that you should have all of your scheduled car maintenance performed at the dealership during the warranty period. Some go so far as to imply that your warranty protection depends on it. In fact, nothing is further from the truth. Federal laws in both the United States and Canada specify that you do not have to have your vehicle serviced at a dealership to maintain warranty protection. The laws further state that a vehicle manufacturer cannot mandate that you use their particular brand of replacement parts or fluids. This certainly means you have many more service options, but what about quality? First off, it is important to know that vehicle manufacturers do not make all of their own parts. They look to thousands of independent suppliers to manufacture the parts that go into your car or truck. Many of these same manufacturers that make the parts that are original equipment for a new vehicle ... read more

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in San Diego: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the San Diego CA motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new car. Because new cars are more expensive, people in the San Diego area are driving their old cars longer. The average car is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in San Diego have more than 75,000 miles. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'. Give Convoy Auto Repair a call to schedule your next car maintenance. 3909 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111 Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be d ... read more

As January gets underway, there are several events that the city of San Diego and culture-craving locals can eagerly anticipate. First, curb your culinary cravings at San Diego Restaurant Week. From January 16-21st, you can get a steal-of-a-deal on 3 course menus from San Diego’s best restaurants. Chose from over 160 local spots and enjoy $20, $30, or $40 meals. It’s a great opportunity to check out some new cuisine options in America’s Finest City. If you feel like going out for a run, the Carlsbad Marathon may be an event to consider. On January 23rd, participants will hit the coastal course and be rewarded with a medal, t-shirt, and goodie bag while running one of the best-looking routes in the nation. Feel like 26.2 miles is a bit much? Perhaps the ... read more

Your engine is like a finely choreographed dance. All the parts have to work together. If the timing is off at the ballet, dancers crash into each other and fall down. If the timing is off in your engine, it may not run at all. One of the most intricate dances in your engine, has to do with the combustion cycle. Your sedan engine has cylinders in which a piston travels up and down. At the top of the cylinders are valves open to bring in the air and fuel. And there are valves that open to let out the exhaust after the fuel has been burned. It's critical that the values be timed to open and close at precisely the right time in the combustion cycle, or the engine will run poorly or not at all. The timing belt is responsible for rotating the shafts that control the valves. It's vital and precision work. Timing belts are made of very tough flexible material. They can last a long time, but they eventually wear out and can break. The consequences can be disastrous. In some engines, the valv ... read more

Many motorists wait too long before seeking out brake service, a situation that is made worse when winter comes calling. Under slick winter driving conditions, drivers will often attribute a lack of stopping power to ice on the roads rather than considering the possibility that a brake repair may be necessary. Small problems that are present during summer driving may begin to manifest themselves as winter hits, making a car far more difficult to control. Drivers will often notice that their brake pedal requires more force to create a result, that the wheels squeal as they stop, or that the car pulls to the left or right when braking. These are all signs that a brake service is needed. To avoid winter driving complications, drivers should have their brakes serviced and a brake repair done, if necessary, before winter hits. Experienced technicians can check the fluid levels in the brake system, the ... read more

Today Convoy Auto Repair is talking about the proper fluids for your vehicle. It's become more complicated with changes in automotive design and manufacturing. It's not that people in CA are confused as much as they don't realize how much things have changed in recent years. Let's take engine oil. Twenty or thirty years ago, there were just a handful of different weights of oil. The weight of an oil is a scientific measure of its properties, particularly its viscosity or thickness. It was common in those days to use a lighter weight oil in the winter when it's cold outside. That way the oil would be able to splash around inside the engine and protect the parts before it was fully warmed up. And a heavier weight oil would be used in the summer. The thicker oil wouldn't thin out too much in the summer heat and vaporize in the engine. Modern valve trains have become very complicated with more moving parts and small passages than ever before. The valve train is in the top of the engine ... read more

What type of technology do you use? Do you prefer an 8-track tape or an iPod? When it comes to winter tires, much of the public's perception dates back to when 8-track was the best way to listen to the Bee Gees. Twenty years ago, winter tires differed from highway tires only in their tread design. We called them snow tires back then and they had big, knobby lugs that were designed to give good traction in deep snow. They had the same rubber compound as regular tires and they weren't very good on ice, packed snow or wet roads. They were not even very good on dry roads. They really helped in deep or loose snow, but they did a poor job the rest of the time. They were loud and rode hard. You couldn't wait to get them off in the spring. Then all-season tires started to come along. All-season tires are really a compromise between summer and winter performance. They have acceptable hot weather ride and tread life, and you can get through mild winter road conditions OK. But there are ... read more