This might seem like a silly question, but do you know where your Battery is located? Most people assume it is under the hood…but not always. In some cars it is under the back seat, odd location and not real easy to get to. Others are in the trunk. If you don’t know where your Battery is, look in your owner’s manual, or swing by and we will show you. It’s important to know the location, in case you ever need to jump it, you will know how to access it.
We Love Classic Cars, and it’s Classic Car Friday!! If you know anyone that is looking to restore the mechanical portion of their Classic Car, we would love to help in their project. We have a special rack and space in our shop that is reserved for Classics. Randy Long, our owner LOVES to help our customers with their projects. Randy has been working on cars since the 70’s, and is an expert in this field. We also work hand in hand with a body shop that specializes in restorations. Please give us a call with any questions
Our cold weather tip is to make sure that you fuel tank is alway half full. The reason is twofold, with bad weather come bad traffic, and sometime that short drive can turn into a much longer one, so you want to make sure that you have enough fuel, so that you don’t run out. Secondly this helps avoid moisture forming and your fuel lines possible freezing.
Is you car a bit harder to start in this colder weather? If so, it could be that your battery is getting weak. If you have had the same battery for 4 or more years, it’s a good idea to have it tested to see how strong it still is. Give us a call for an appointment and we will be happy to check all of your charging system out. Sometimes it’s not the battery, if it is strong, then it could be that your alternator is not doing it’s job, or a belt may be loose. In any case, making sure that all components of your charging system are working well is important, you surely don’t want to get stranded in the cold weather.
Here at Long’s we LOVE Classic Cars. Randy, the owner, specializes in helping the owners of classic’s keep them in good running condition. He will also rebuild engines, so that they can run again. We have a bay in the shop that is dedicated to this work. We also help customers that want to sell their classic, by having it in our showroom. This way the car stays dry and warm, and is easily viewed by prospective buyers. We also work hand in hand with a body shop, just down the road, that has the same passion we do for classics. So if a vehicle needs both body work, and mechanical work we can take care of it for you. So if you have just bought a classic that needs some work, or if you are maintaining the health of one, we would love to be part of your project.
Are you thinking about buying a used vehicle? If so, please be careful. Yes there are some great used cars out there for great prices. But buyer beware…sellers can be pretty tricky when they want to be. I used to know a detailer that worked for used car lots…it was amazing the things he could cover up, rust spots, remove mold, and the smell…when he got done they looked like new. So you can’t always tell a book by it’s cover. We have seen cars that have been underwater…they only way we knew is buy find a bit of sand on the underside of the car on the frame…places you wouldn’t normally have access to. Also, if a check engine light is on, some people will disconnect the battery so the light will go off. Unfortunatly for the unknowing buyer, the vehicle needs to be driven a bit for the light to come back on. So for example, let’s say the seller knows that the catalytic converter needs to be replace..cost on this vehicle $2500.00, he doesn’t want to spend the money, he turns off the check engine light, you buy the car drive it for a couple of days, the light comes back on..and look who is stuck with the repair. We always recommend a pre-buyers inspection to anyone that is buying a pre-owned vehicle no matter who you are buying it from. We have the ability to tell if the light has been turned off, we inspect every bit of the vehicle so that you know exactly where you stand. Sometimes this ends up with you not buying the vehicle, sometimes it means giving you the information that you need to get a better price on the vehicle. Sometimes the cars get a clean bill of health. In any circumstance it give you the ability to make the decision that is right for you. As we always say “Knowledge is Power”.
When driving does your vehicle pull to one side or the other? This makes driving uncomfortable at the very least. Do your tires have uneven wear patterns? Sometimes that is hard to see, we can put your car up in the air and check this for you. If either of these are true, you probably are in need of an alignment. Give us a call to set an appointment and we will get your vehicle straightened out in no time!!
When was the last time your air filter was changed? It seems like such a simple thing…it is amazing how many people ignore it though. Having a clean filter really does help the runnability of your vehicle. A very dirty filter can starve the engine of air, causing lack of power, and it can also affect your fuel economy. Stop by, and we will be happy to inspect it for you and if need be we would be happy to replace it.
#airfilter #automotivemaintenance #repairshop98072
It’s the new year…time to start fresh. This is a great time to check the maintenance records on all of your vehicles to make sure everything is up to date and to plan ahead for any needed items. Some maintenance items can be expensive, such as timing belts. If you find you are going to be due for one in the next couple of months, give us a call and we will let you know what the fee is, so that you can plan and be prepared. Happy Friday everyone and enjoy your weekend!!
