San Diego Auto Repair

With summer fast approaching this time of year we start to see many overheating engine failures. The number one failure is coolant hoses and belts. This is because they're the most overlooked part under "recommended preventative maintenance" in today’s automobiles. Many drivers don't understand or believe how important they are. In this video, you see what a blown radiator looks like and what kind of damage it can do to a modern engine. From 1980-2000 our belts and hoses were made from neoprene compound (rubber). Over time as they heated up and cooled down they would naturally start to crack, making it easy to identify worn belts and hoses. When your car was being serviced the technician would point this out and recommend their replacement and many people would listen because they could see the wear. Flash forward to today. Sinc ... read more

Driving around in your speedy road machine is pure pleasure in the summer: you've got the air conditioner to keep you cool and your favorite tunes to keep you company. The only thing worse than running out of songs to play is having the AC break down on you. That comfortable drive quickly turns into an unhappy, sweaty ordeal. The best way to tell if your car air conditioner is not working well is when it doesn’t produce cabin temperatures that are 5 degrees Fahrenheit below the outdoor air temperature, but if it's not working at all temperatures within the car can reach staggering numbers. Even if your car air conditioner is working fine, it’s always best to have it serviced by an auto tech if you’re heading out for a long drive this summer and the forecast is sunny. A car’s air conditioning system - still one of the greatest improvements to cars in auto history - is complex, and there are a variety of reasons why i ... read more

Summer is here (well... maybe not officially but nobody told that to San Diego weather!) and we've got road trips on the mind. We looked at the 2013 models to determine which make the top 10 summer road trip cars and we think we've got a pretty useful list, if we do say so ourselves. We included vehicles that cater to the fuel efficiency and budget minded folk (road trips can get expensive, after all) but that doesn’t mean we didn't include cars with a little oomph! Besides, what's the point of having a new car if it offers so little fun that you would never consider a road trip in the first place? Now, we don’t care if you're just visiting relatives in Des Moines or if you decide it’s finally a good time to drive from sea to shining sea on our nation’s glorious potholed highways and byways. After all, you haven’t really lived until you've seen the world’s largest outdoor ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas. (Yes, it’s ... read more

Keep your alloy wheels looking their best In recent years, many drivers and automakers have chosen to accent their vehicles with attractive alloy wheels. These designer wheels give cars a touch of class to an often neglected part of the vehicle, and the diverse selection of aftermarket wheels allows drivers to give their vehicles a custom look. Without maintenance, however, alloy wheels can lose their attractiveness and even fail to work properly. Fortunately a little care can keep your wheels attractive and functional for years. Wash Your Wheels Regularly Over time, harmful chemicals can accumulate on your wheels. Brake dust is a common contaminant that will build up through regular driving. If left alone, this corrosive dust can damage the protective coatings on your wheels and even eat through metal of the wheels themselves. In addition to marring the finish of your wheels, this etching can actually eat holes through your wheels ... read more