San Diego Auto Repair

There’s nothing quite like buying a car. The stress of making the right decision, the excitement of having a new set of wheels … few purchases have such an impact on your day-to-day life. If you’re like most people, when you’re looking for a fresh car, you’re looking for something used to get the most for your budget. December is the best time of year to buy a used car, partially because plenty of others are buying new and selling their old rides. Take advantage of these used car buying tips and you'll have the perfect new set of wheels! Here are 5 tips to help you make the right call when you’re out looking: 5 Tips for Buying a Used Car Consider a Certified Used Car If it’s in your budget and you’re looking for a later model, a Certified Used Car from a dealer can offer you the factory extended warranty for no additional cost and the cars are often the nicest-of-the-nice in terms ... read more

As cars age, they are more likely to experience hiccups in their reliability and performance, despite your best maintenance and foresight. Here are a few emergency items to keep in your car or trunk for a quick fix on the side of the road or in your driveway, and some bonus items every driver should have with them. Image: Flickr If you have an older car, you may already know the value of having a few supplies with you in case something happens. As cars age, they are more likely to experienc ... read more

Sometimes our older cars give us little puzzles to figure out. Take this 2007 Chevy van, for example. Its owner had brought it in because it had been leaking water, even though there was no sign of a leakage when we got it up on our lift. In fact, the engine looked quite dry. Car engines have weep holes built in, which are designed to leak water slowly so you can tell when it's time to replace the water pump. But in this case, as soon as a little bit of pressure is applied to the engine, the water started gushing like a faucet. The video is actually pretty crazy to see – the water comes out so quickly and full, not to mention all of a sudden. Check out the video to see what we had to do to find the source of the issue for this customer, and how obvious it is that this van's water pump is totally broken. Transcript: Today we're looking at a 2007 Chevy van that came in with a water leak, and as we ... read more

We’ve all know how it goes: white smoke starts pouring from the hood, the temperature light is on, and suddenly you’re on the side of the road with your hood up waiting for the car to cool down. The summer months can be hard for even modern vehicles; the warm weather creates some additional stress on the engine, and then use of the air conditioner adds even more heat and work under the hood. Do you know what to do if your car overheats? Image: Flickr What to do in case of your car overheating STOP DRIVING - The quickest way to be in the market for a new engine is to keep driving after your engine starts to overheat. Even driving to the next exit is too far. Pulling over immediately will save you thousands and hopefully allow you to keep your engine. Call a tow truck - The $50 or so to get your ... read more

Sometimes when you’re car shopping, buying a brand new car just isn’t in the cards. Between the expense of the new car itself, the cost of taxes and registration, and the eventual cost of depreciation, many buyers turn to the used car marketplace to save money and still have a reliable vehicle that fits their needs exactly. That said, there are plenty of reasons why buying used is actually preferable to buying new in just about any situation. Recognizing the value of an older vehicle can save time, hassle, and all sorts of stress. Here are some of the benefits of buying used: Image: FlickrRecalls If you’re buying a used car from a dealer lot, you can bet all the recalls on the car have already been taken care of, and if they haven’t been, it’s the dealer’s responsibility to ... read more

There are thousands of vehicle makes and models for those in the market for a pre-owned vehicle. Buying an older car doesn't have to be a shot in the dark - not with so many amazing choices on the market today. We’ve already covered #10 – 6 of the top 10 used cars, and here is the remainder of our picks to #1! With so many choices available, you’re sure to find the perfect car for your lifestyle, budget, and taste on the used car marketplace. Image: Flickr#5 - Mazda MX-5 The MX-5 may not seem like a very bold choice in a vehicle, but that’s exactly why we think it’s a solid family mover. This Mazda powered minivan is one of the more unique vehicles out there, since it’s based on the popular Mazda 3 platform, but built wi ... read more

When it comes to buying an older car, there are countless options available. No matter what your tastes and needs, there are numerous used (or pre-owned, if that's your preferred lingo) options out there, and numerous price points. If you’re ready to start your search for buying an older vehicle, we’ve put together some great options to jump-start your brain. Here are our picks for number #10-6 of the top 10 best older model or used cars available: Image: Flickr#10 - Toyota Highlander The Highlander combines family-friendly features like 4 doors, seating for 5, and a large cargo area with the legendary Toyota reliability. Toyota came out with the model in 2001, which means there’s a wealth of options available in the used marketplace, which can vary in features, mileage, and care, depending on your budget and needs. #9 - Honda Accord The Honda ... read more

Car owners and manufacturers are always trying to stand out from the crowd, and understandably so; we all know someone who drives a blue Honda Civic. Some car features are the result of a safety idea, like the seat belts that slide across the door frame and buckle themselves (look ma, no hands!). Other features sound good in theory but are impractical, some scream ridiculous wealth, and some are just plain silly (fake bullet hole stickers, we're talking about you). Here is our list of those more ridiculous car features: Top 10 Most Ridiculous Car Features We'll start with an easy one: The Nissan Cube's headliner. The designers of the rectangle on wheels decided to think outside the box when decorating the interior. The juxtaposition of circular ripples on a car that shares its name with a uniform 3-D square is obviously a bit ridiculous. If you thought the Cube's headliner was out there, check out the Rolls-Royce starlight headliner. Not too sure on what the selling poin ... 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

How do you know if an odometer is telling the truth? Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect California consumers against mileage fraud. It says a CA seller must certify the mileage reported is the Actual Mileage. To have your odometer checked in San Diego CA, stop by Convoy Auto Repair: If it isn't, the seller must say why; like maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 miles and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced. If the seller tells you the mileage isn’t accurate, there’s not much chance of putting a good number to it; And there’s the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it’s not so. What can you do? First, you can go to www.CarFax.com, where for a small fee, they’ll give you a comprehensive vehicle history search on your sedan, showing local ownership history, accident reports, total-loss events, manufacturer buybacks, Lemon reports and w ... read more