San Diego Auto Repair

Smartphones are hands down one of the greatest inventions of the past few decades. Smartphones give us immediate access to an infinite store of information, instructions, pictures, and other good stuff. In particular, smartphone apps (especially apps for cars) make it even easier to navigate through whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish. An odd thing about phone apps is that many people don’t even stop to think about what apps are out there for cars. Here are some of the top apps for cars: A Preliminary Word: Apps for Cars and Driving Safety While the apps below might make driving easier and more enjoyable in many respects, always be mindful of road safety while driving. Be sure to obey all traffic laws, especially those involving distracted driving and smartphone use while driving. In fact, it’s better to go above and beyond the law when it comes to safety. Setup your app ... read more

As summer winds down, most of San Diego begins to cool off for some crisp and enjoyable fall evenings. However, the inland and desert areas can still remain quite warm, and may often require special considerations when driving through them. It’s always best to be prepared and understand how desert driving can affect your vehicle as well as your driving plans. The San Diego East County Deserts can provide you with some of the most scenic driving in the country — you can spot boundless wildlife as well as unique desert vegetation. Here are some important factors if you plan to take a trip anytime soon through the desert. Pack Plenty of Water for Your Desert Driving Trip Perhaps the most important part of preparing for San Diego desert driving is to ensure that you have plenty of water. If your car breaks down and you need to wait for a tow or other assistance, you’ll ... read more

Side-by-side ATV racing and touring has really exploded in popularity in the last five years. These allow multiple persons to ride in the same ATV, thus maximizing the fun off-road experience. As with any type of fun-related vehicle, there are varying degrees of intensity you can experience. Some like to ride around casually to see the sights while others are hardcore side-by-side off-road or extreme condition racers. Regardless of your experience level, side-by-side ATVs are yet another way to enjoy offroading fun. Check out these ATV safety tips to keep you riding safe and worry-free! What are Side by Side ATV’s? ATV stands for “all-terrain vehicle”. The most common ATVs are quad-types, which look like motorcycles with four wheels. These are fun to ride and are highly maneuverable, but recently “side-by-side” ATVs have exceeded quad types in popularity. What are they? Four-wheel ATVs with room for p ... read more

Are you considering getting your windows tinted, but not sure where to start? Not only are there various levels of tinting you could get, but there are also laws that govern window tints and films. Before you bring your car to the tint shop, read on for details about window tints, and what you should look for. What is Window Tinting? Generally speaking, window tinting is a modification to a car’s windows involving a thin film or layer that is applied to the glass. Often times, this film or “tint” is colored darkly (in various degrees or grades of darkness), much like sunglasses. Here's what window tints accomplish: Reduced glare from the sun Privacy Safety/security Filtering of UV rays Thermal insulation Window Tinting Laws Believe it or not, anonymity and privacy issues are just the start of window tinting headaches. Every state has different laws regarding window tinting. The laws classify tints according to “Visible Light Transmission” or VLT ... read more

Next to drunk driving, distracted driving is one of the main causes of accidents and injuries on the road. With the the introduction of smartphones, drivers are now facing more temptations on the road than ever before. However, distracted driving doesn’t just include cell phone use while driving; it can include several other forms of distraction, as well. The more you understand about distracted driving, the safer you’ll be as a driver. Read on to learn what you can do to prevent driving while distracted. Understanding Distracted Driving: Types of Distractions The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) classifies distractions into three main categories. Knowing these categories can help you understand exactly what types of dangers a distraction can create. These three categories of distractions are: Visual: Anything that causes you to take your eyes ... read more

Thanks to the recent highly publicized ​wrongdoings by a certain German automaker, car recalls have been in the news lately—and there’s a good chance your car might be next on the recall list. But what exactly does it mean when your car is recalled? Many people out there aren’t entirely sure. That’s why we’ve taken a deeper look to explain what a car recall means and what you should do if your car is recalled. Car Recall 101 A car recall is basically when your manufacturer says, “Oops, we messed up.” More specifically, a car recall is when your car’s manufacturer simply says that there is something on your particular model of car that is defective. They key here is to not panic. In most (if not all) cases just because your car has been recalled, doesn’t mean it’s too dangerous to drive, but it’s important that you fix the problem as soon as possible. Step 1: Check Your Mail Even if you already heard about your car being ... read more

If you’ve decided to go off-roading, safety is a primary concern and there are several things that you should do to prepare for your adventure. Be sure that you are very familiar with how your vehicle works, and don’t try to exceed its capacities.  No matter what vehicle you use, you will want a few features at minimum including: 4 wheel drive, locking differentials to pull your vehicle through rough terrain, knobby tires, off-road suspension, and a powerful engine. There are dozens of other off-roading features that have been added to some of the more recent off-road models such as skid plates and off-road dampers.  Some good recent 2015 vehicles for off-roading include the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro, Nissan Xterra Pro-4X, Jeep Wrangler (both the standard and the Rubicon), the Land Rover LR4, Toyota Land Cruiser, Ram 2500, and the Ford F-150.  In general, you want to use a vehicle that has been designed for the specific purpose of off roading, otherwise you ris ... read more

Vehicle emergencies can happen at any time, and you never want to be caught stranded without an important emergency tool or item. Even if you have a roadside assistance membership, it’s important to have an emergency kit in your car because it will take time for help to arrive, and cell phone reception (and battery life!) isn’t guaranteed. You don’t need to buy a premade kit because making your own doesn’t take much effort, and you can customize it for your unique vehicle and needs. Below are some of the most important things to include in your homemade roadside emergency kit, and a clear plastic bin or a duffel bag works well for storing the items. First aid kit - A first aid kit is one of the most important things to include in your roadside emergency kit, and you should buy a premade kit that every basic item. Cell phone - Buy a cheap cell phone just for your kit; you don’t need service on it because you can call 911 without a plan, and make sure tha ... read more