Posted on 7/12/2012
![Car Needs On the Go? There’s an App For That!](https://www.convoyautorepair.com/Files/Images/blog/one.png)
Nowadays in the world of smart phones, there is an app for, well, pretty much everything. Some that come in handy for daily use are those for your automobile. Here are a few noteworthy apps for improving everyday travels. 1. iExit This situation has happened to us all before: you are driving in an unknown place and all of the sudden you need gas, get hungry, or need a restroom and have no idea where to go! With iExit, find out what is located at each exit that comes along on the interstate. From hotels to eateries to gas stations and more, this app will find the right stop to fulfill your needs. 2. Parker As the weather in San Diego get warmer, the crowds get bigger. For those beach days in PB and baseball games downtown, finding a parking spot can be a nightmare. That’s where Parker comes ... read more
Posted on 7/5/2012
![Apple's Eyes Free Siri Integration Makes Driving Worry Free](https://www.convoyautorepair.com/Files/Images/blog/Eyes-Free-Siri-Integration.jpg)
Apple has done it again! Within this next year, consumers will begin to see vehicles containing Apple’s new Eyes Free Siri Integration. If you aren’t familiar with Siri, it is the iPhone’s voice-command/digital-assistant that was launched with Apple’s latest iOS 5 series. With the Eyes Free technology, users can press a voice command button to speak into the car’s microphone system that is connected to the iPhone. In the next 12 months, this new technology will be built directly by car manufacturers into the new vehicles. This system will be compatible with any iDevice using the new iOS 6 software. Some partners in the automotive industry that will be implement this plan include BMW, Audi, Chrysler, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Jaguar/Land Rover. This hands-free technology adds a user-friendly appeal and, more importantly, it boosts road safety. With an option like this, eyes can have full attention to the r ... read more
Posted on 5/16/2012
Here's a travel tip that'll I'll bet you didn't know, and, it might keep you safer... The average American commuter in CA spends two and a half hours daily in their car. The government says a hundred thousand auto accidents yearly are caused by drivers who fall asleep at the wheel. (Aggressive driving is the number one traffic safety concern.) So here's a question: can car scent keep you safe on CA roads? Well, which car scent did you think makes drivers more alert?It's C. Drivers are more alert and have less fatigue with pine scent in the car, according to AroMetrics. And, drivers were less angry with overall improved driving performance with strawberry and pine scents. And you thought they just smelled nice
Posted on 2/14/2012
Every car in San Diego CA is at risk for theft. So it's up to us to make our cars a less appealing target and more of a challenge - hopefully sending potential thieves to look elsewhere.The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends a layered approach to protecting vehicles: Common sense Visible and audible devices Immobilizing devices Tracking devices Let's review each of these. First, common sense: you would be surprised how many vehicles are stolen from San Diego CA where the keys were left in the ignition with the doors unlocked. Always take your keys, and lock the doors. In fact, in some places it's against the law to leave a vehicle unattended with the keys in the ignition.And don't leave spare keys in the car or hide them outside - because a thief will find them. Try to park in well-lit areas that have a lot of foot traffic. If possible, park near the end of a row and near a light. Back your c ... read more
Posted on 2/14/2012
Convoy Auto Repair is proud to announce we are a member of the RepairPal Top Shop Auto Repair Network. RepairPal was founded in 2007 by a group of automobile enthusiasts to provide drivers with the most accurate, unbiased, and useful car ownership information available. The Top Shop Auto Repair Network is RepairPal’s newest service being offered to customers across the country. The Top Shop program is designed to help connect the best repair shops with customers who are looking for someone they can trust to work on their car. In order to qualify for the program, Convoy Auto Repair had to pass a rigorous quality assessment, which included an analysis of the shop's technical capabilities as well as a phone interview with at least 25 of our customers. Qualities of Top Shops like Convoy Auto Repair include: experienced and highly-trained technicians who are certified by the ASE, appropriate tools and equipment used ... read more
Posted on 10/19/2011
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
Posted on 7/8/2011
![Support Dave's Epic Dustball Blogging Mission!](https://www.convoyautorepair.com/Files/Images/blog/dustball_dave_laptop.jpg)
The Dustball Rally is gearing up for its 2,000-mile car race/scavenger hunt run across the American Southwest, and its on-the-road blogger, Dustball Dave, is getting ready for his epic Dustball 2000 Project. Dave will be riding each day with one of the teams, coordinating live tweets and videos, blogging, and then creating a multimedia presentation based on his experiences. Dustball Dave can’t do it alone – he’s got his lodging and airfare covered for the Dustball 2000 project, but needs help to finance a budget for his technology, food, and other expenses so that he can deliver the best virtual experience possible. To help Dave post photos, videos and timely vignettes from the road, he’s putting out the call for donations onlin ... read more
Posted on 4/28/2011
![Change Your Ford Spark Plugs Earlier to Avoid Costly Repairs](https://www.convoyautorepair.com/Files/Images/blog/ford-broken-spark-plug-welded-in-cylinder-head.jpg)
Some 2004-2005 Ford F-150 and 2005 F-Super Duty, Expedition, and Navigator vehicles with a 5.4L 3-valve engines may experience difficulty with plug removal. This may cause damage to the spark plug and leave part of the spark plug in the cylinder head, requiring an expensive extraction process, and in some cases, even cylinder head removal or replacement. [caption][/caption] There are special procedures Ford has recommended in a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that may reduce the number of broken plugs. Unfortunately in the real world, many still break because the spark plugs were not changed early enough. Ford, like many manufactu ... read more
Posted on 8/13/2010
Lease? Or buy? It's always a tough question for residents in the Tierrasanta area. But here are a few ideas that'll make the choice more clear. Either option gives you a choice of how you might finance your car. If you buy, you'll pay the full cost of the car, with maybe an initial down payment, then monthly payments on the balance that pays down the loan principal, and the finance charge. If you lease, you're financing the portion of the cost of the car that's used up during the term of the lease. When the lease is up, you return the car to your local Tierrasanta area dealership. You'll pay some money upfront; fees, security deposit, first month's payment and maybe a capital reduction. The month payments include a depreciation cost and a finance charge. So how do you decide? First, how big a down payment can you make? A lease would require a smaller down. How much monthly payment can you afford? Again, lease payments will be much lower for any given down payment. A lease needs you to ... read more