San Diego Auto Repair

Most San Diego schools only have a few weeks before classes start up again, and that makes August the perfect time to fit in some last minute road trips before you have to get back to the grind! But even if you aren't in school (or don't have kids who are), there's something about August that just screams road trip season - we think it has a lot to do with the heat! But in San Diego, the real heat doesn't begin until September. If you're looking to heat up the summer before it ends, you'll delight in taking a trip to a hot destination during the hottest season. The desert in the heat of summer offers a dramatic experience for the more determined traveler, and a stunning road trip from San Diego. And if you're looking for a hot summer road trip destination, we have some places in mind - in the most literal sense! Image ... 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

Our friend James from Mantripping is here to share some of his favorite weekend road trips you can take from San Diego - and since June is Great Outdoors Month, we figured San Diego drivers would be itching to get exploring! Read on for weekend road trip ideas: It's (almost officially) summer time now and that means it's time to break out the maps (or GPS) and head off on a great American adventure! Luckily for those of us in San Diego there are a number of excellent road trips that range from short day trips to ones that would span multiple days of exploration. Before you set out on the trip, though, it is important that you get your car in proper driving condition. For the longer trips, or trips through the desert, I would recommend that you stop by your mechanic for a quick look. But there are also some things you can check yourself to q ... read more

It’s the holiday season, which means an estimated 90% of holiday travel will occur via automobile as people head out to join their families (according to the AAA 2012/2013 Year-End Holidays Travel Forecast). Is your car ready for the journey? Image: Flickr Depending on how far you’re going, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared in different ways.  If you're sticking to shorter trips (say, from San Diego to Los Angeles) you should inspect and top off your fluids, inspect your tires for damage or excessive wear, and maybe make sure there are spare batteries around for any electronics your kids are using to distract them from the drive. For longer trips, such as up to the Bay Area and beyond, you should take a little more time with your fluid checks. If you’re already overdue for a service such as an oil change or a new set of brakes, you should ha ... read more

Image: Flickr If there’s anything that San Diegans love more than outdoor adventures, it’s craft beer. With perfect weather year-round, every weekend is the perfect opportunity for a road trip and no road trip is complete without some liquid refreshment at the end of it (stay classy - no drinking and driving). Unfortunately, there are fewer disappointments more epic than cracking open a delicious beer at the end of a long drive and encountering a warm or skunked brew. Oh, the humanity! However, there are ways to avoid this tragedy. We’re here to let you in on some craft beer secrets – what are some beers that travel well on long road trips? First off – the container. Beer growlers most often hold 64 fluid oz. of delicious beer and generally are made of brown glass or stainless steel. “Why ar ... 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

Our third New Year's Resolution post in the series touches on another very common pledge: to take a vacation. However, people don't always literally resolve to take a vacation (although Americans are notorious for forgoing our hard-earned vacations in favor of working overtime), but they may resolve to learn to take it easy this year, or simply take a break. Sometimes we resolve to get out there more, to enjoy life more, or to live for something other than your 9-5. Vacations provide a ton of mental and emotional benefits that in turn transform into new benefits, like a clearer head to take on a difficult task, a fresh perspective, or even just a new experience you'd never have had otherwise that ends up helping you down the road. But what about the benefits that involve your car? Too often a vacation - especially a road trip - is seen as a stressor for your car. While this certainly can be true, there are other benefits tha ... read more

Traveling is tough in general, but traveling with kids is even more difficult. Long car rides can make for restless children and frustrated parents. To avoid hearing the infamous “are we there yet” line, entertain your kids with fun family car games! For individual entertainment, game books are best. For kids a little older who are good with numbers, Sudoku is a great choice. Critical thinking skills will provide a distracting challenge. If your child is more of a word fan, Crosswords will do the trick. And for the creative kid, you can’t go wrong with coloring books and crayons. Having a tablet or smartphone handy can keep your child entertained for hours with kid-friendly apps and games. Guessing games are always a fun group activity. A guessing game to try is I Spy. One person starts by saying something like, “I spy something red” and then everyone else has to guess what it is. You can also say ... read more

It's a scary thought to be driving in the middle of nowhere and have a tire that goes flat. But with the proper preparation and tools, this is a situation that can be easily handled. The tools you should keep in your trunk include a car jack, a wrench and a spare tire. Keeping a flashlight and tire blocks are useful to have as well. After you realize there is a tire issue, find a safe and flat place to pull your car over, set the parking brake, and turn on the hazard lights. Next, take all of the stored tools to the location of the flat tire. Once this is done, it is time to change your tire. How to Change a Tire <>Step 1: Loosen the wheel boltsYou may need to remove the hubcaps from the wheels beforehand. Then, use the wrench to loosen the bolts on the wheels by turning counter-clockwise. Do not completely remove the bolts at this point. Step 2: Raise the carThere are four main jacking points on a car. If you are unsure of the exact points, the owner ... read more

With so many travel plans over the summer – out of town getaways, beach days, or other outdoor activities – reliable transportation is a must. Before you put these plans into action, here are five tips to prepare your car for fun in the sun. How to Prepare Your Car for the Summer 1. Make Sure Your AC System is in Working Condition Sometimes stepping into your car in the summer can feel like stepping into a sauna on a hot day. Making sure your air conditioning is in top shape can minimize your car as a heat box. The best time to get your AC system serviced is before summer, so you can be prepared before it becomes a necessity to use. 2. Replace Your Windshield Wiper Blades Your wiper blades have been working hard over the past few rainy months. The general rule of thumb is to replace your wiper blades twice a year, at the beginning/end of each season. This will ensure fresh blades to wipe away any of that summ ... read more