by tvetensautocliniccom on March 18, 2013
How to save money maintaining your car
These mistakes are ones we’ve probably all made. Below are some ways car owners and buyers can save big bucks. Avoid these costly mistakes, according to ShopSmart:
1. Riding around with low tires.
Driving around on low tires can compromise the safety of your car and hurt the fuel economy. Check your tire pressure at least once a month. The best time is after the vehicle has been sitting for at least an hour and the tires are cool. Always, check the spare too!
2. Overpaying for insurance.
Each year as your car ages, you may qualify for a lower rate. But you have to ask. S0 it’s a good idea to call your insurance company once a year to see if your coverage can be adjusted.
3. Taking your car in for service without checking prices.
Always check your owner’s manual to determine which maintenance items are required at each service. Know that you don’t have to go to a dealership for scheduled maintenance, even if your car is under warranty. A qualified shop can do the work, just keep receipts and accurate records.
4. Ignoring warning signs.
It’s not a good idea to ignore the “check engine” light or that strange noise. Putting off repairs will usually cost you more later. Sometimes you can catch the little things before it gets too expensive.
5. When maintaining your car.
Make sure that your service and repairs come with a minimum of 2 years or 24,000 mile warranties. In some cases, Lifetime Warranty could be applied.
6. Failing to plan ahead.
Save gas and money by plotting the best route for running errands or heading out on a road trip with a GPS navigator or a smart phone with a navigation app. Check gas prices at sites and apps like Gas Buddy so you can fuel up for less.
7. Focusing on the monthly payment when buying a car.
Don’t take the bait. Salespeople want to focus on the monthly payment so they can manipulate the figures. Negotiate one thing at a time. Settle on the car’s price first, then discuss a trade-in or financing.
8. Buying a service contract.
Dealers can make a lot of money on service contracts. For most vehicles, you’ll pay more for the coverage than you’ll need to pay in repairs during time covered.
9. Not shopping for financing.
You will usually pay higher rates through the car dealers. Credit unions, local banks and online lenders usually offer better rates. Shop around and get prequalified.
10. Buying extras that you don’t need.
Don’t let the car salesperson talk you into getting extras like, rustproofing, fabric protection or paint protectant. They are usually not necessary or can be done for less money later.
Article from ShopSmart
by tvetensautocliniccom on September 10, 2012
For more information call Tveten’s at 253-588-5201
by tvetensautocliniccom on September 5, 2012
August Means Back to School Driving
7 Car Maintenance Signs Your Teen Needs to Know for a Better, Safer Car
SIGN #1 – Car Alignment
Potholes.
There are many things that can cause car misalignment. One of these causes is constantly hitting potholes. We all hit them, but if your teen just got access to a car and the car was perfect beforehand, then he/she might need to be told about avoiding potholes.
Hitting Curbs.
There are also alignment issues from hitting curbs. There aren’t many reasons why your teen should be hitting the curb. Perhaps your teen is in need of some more parking lessons.
Speed bumps/Railroad Tracks.
Another cause of misalignment is going over speed bumps and railroad tracks too fast. Even after many years of being on the road, adults also tend to forget there’s a speed bump until it’s too late to slow down. You might let that one slip a little except driving too fast is dangerous. Your teen can lose complete control of the car. This car maintenance sign might save your teen’s car, but most importantly, your teen’s life.
SIGN #2 – Tires
Wear and Tear.
Another sign often seen in teen cars due to lack of car maintenance is over worn tires. Going too fast on the road and then having to brake will cause a lot of damage to the front tires.
Air Pressure.
Tires should have enough air pressure. If you teen isn’t checking his/her tires’ air, then it’s likely he/she isn’t checking other less obvious areas that need car maintenance. An overinflated tire can pop on the road if the temperature is too high. One way to check for an overinflated tire is by checking if the wear is across the center of the tread. An under-inflated tire will wear on both outer edges of the tire.
SIGN #3 – Fluids
Engine Oil.
Check the engine oil. Black oil tends to indicate bad maintenance.
Coolant Levels.
Yet another sign is the coolant levels. If they are below the necessary level, then your teen may need to learn this car maintenance tip. The car can easily overheat without enough antifreeze and/or water.
(FYI #1: Brake fluid is one of the most important fluids in the car. You need it for safe driving. Therefore, it’s better to have a professional car center change it for you. Of course, we can do this for you at Tveten’s Auto Care).
SIGN #4 – Air Filter
Staining.
Staining on the air filter can be an indication of engine wear.
(FYI #2: Changing the air filter will improve gas mileage.)
SIGN #5 – Brakes
Squeaking.
Squeaking brakes can also indicate bad car maintenance. Brake pads are made with a warning tab, which measures how much surface you have left on your brake pad. When it produces a squeal it means it’s become worn. Ask your teen how long the squeaking has been going on. If it’s been a while and he/she hasn’t mentioned it, then he/she most likely hasn’t mentioned other car maintenance issues, or may not know about them.
SIGN #6 – Battery
Battery Light.
Check if the battery light is on. Always an indication of a problem
Voltage Meter.
You can also check the voltage meter. This should be located near the temperature dial. The volt reading should be on or around 14 volts when the car is on. When the car is off, the volt reading should be on or around 12. Anything significantly off indicates a battery problem. A bad battery might be caused by leaving the car lights or radio on too long without restarting the car. A common issue among teens.
SIGN #7 – Engine Noises
Ticks/Tapping.
Any noise is a bad noise when it comes from a car. It can indicate many bad car maintenance issues, especially if it’s coming from the engine. If your teen’s car engine is making a noise it could be caused by revving the engine too hard.
Pings/Knocks.
If you hear noises when accelerating, it could be due to engine overheating from not refilling the coolant fluids.
Rapping/Knocking.
Deep rapping or knocking sounds coming from the engine could mean a neglected oil change.
As parents, we know teen car maintenance is a serious matter. It can be lifesaving to our kids and everyone else on the road. Make sure you student drivers are prepared for Back to School Driving.
by tvetensautocliniccom on April 18, 2012
Don't Text and Drive
Phone Down, Eyes Up
Texting and driving is like playing Russian Roulette
You are 23x more likely to crash if you text while driving. According to the NHTSA, in 2009 an estimated 20 percent of 1,517,000 injury crashes were reported to have involved distracted driving.
Teen drivers are more likely than other age groups to be involved in a fatal crash where distraction is reported. In 2009, 16% of teen drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted.
Distracted Driving News (US Government site) >>
by tvetensautocliniccom on April 16, 2012
Yes - there is an app for this
Yes. And there is an app to stop it.
We’ve all done it. Tried to fit in a quick message while driving the car. The problem – we’re very distracted and we’re very dangerous.
Sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. If you are traveling 55 mph, that is the same as driving the length of an entire football field, blind-folded.*
With new laws in place and reduced mobile phone usage on the road, it is now painfully easy to spot the offenders. They weave, they brake late (or early), and quite often are stuck at the light when it is as green as it is going to get. So even though there are fines for using your cell phone while driving, it still is causing accidents and deaths across the nation.
While we can’t remove the temptation, there are some apps that can control the calls.
There’s an app for that >>
One text or call could wreck it all.
You can safely end the practice of texting while driving with a number of different apps:
tXtBlocker blocks texting and speaking while a vehicle is in motion and sends an automatic “Driving” message to anyone who texts or calls.
tXtBlocker can also be customized to block text messages or calls at certain times of the day or near certain locations, such as a school or workplace. 911 calls are always allowed. tXtBlocker costs $6.99 for a single-user plan and $9.99 a month for a family plan. It works with most Android and BlackBerry devices.
Textecution™ kills texting functions while driving.
Textecution sits quietly in the background and allows you use your phone normally. Once it detects that the phone is travelling faster than 10 mph, Textecution disables the phone’s texting feature, so text messages can’t be sent or received. Once the phone is at rest or travelling slower than 10 mph, the texting feature is restored. There is a one-time fee of $29.99 to download the app, which is good for the life of a phone number. Android devices only.
iZUP - defers calls to voice mail and holds text messages while the vehicle is in motion.
iZUP is another app that monitors speed and other critical conditions to determine whether a phone is in a moving vehicle. Once a predetermined speed is reached, iZUP holds text messages, e-mails and calls while you’re driving, yet always allows unlimited access to 911 and a list of authorized phone numbers. iZUP is $2.95 per month for a single user and $5.95 per month for a family plan.
There are also corporate options.
Any of the above can help you control your texting. And that of your teen drivers. Let’s make the roads a little safer by reducing the distractions.
*From Distraction.gov
by tvetensautocliniccom on March 19, 2012
At Tveten’s Auto Clinic, we would like to thank you for allowing us to service your vehicle. We very much value your trust in our business.
To show our appreciation, we have created a very special offer just for you and your second or third vehicles that have never been in for service at our shop!
When you visit us with an additional vehicle for maintenance or repair service, we are offering you a $12.95 Oil Service on that vehicle.
Our highly trained and experienced technicians provide exceptional maintenance and repair service every day on a variety of cars and light trucks. Please allow us to meet all of your automotive needs – from oil changes to preventive maintenance, tire service to engine repair.
Many of our customers trust us to service all of their family vehicles, so join in and take advantage of our special offer!
Thank you for your business!
by tvetensautocliniccom on December 13, 2011
From Your Friends at Tveten’s Auto Clinic
by tvetensautocliniccom on October 28, 2011
Subscribe to our monthly eNewsletter and stay in the loop with helpful vehicle tips, offers and rewards just for you!
Visit our website and sign up at the bottom of any page under “Sign-up for our Email Program.”
Remember, you can also Follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter too!
by tvetensautocliniccom on July 12, 2011
Air Conditioning, which was once considered a luxury, is now a common feature on most cars and vehicles today.
While the servicing of modern car air conditioning systems is best left to professionals, you can get the most enjoyment from your A/C system if you know a bit about how it works and what malfunctions you should be on the lookout for.
1. Odd smells coming from the air conditioning may be caused by bacterial build-ups in the A/C system.
As your car becomes older, or when the air conditioning system is used infrequently, bacteria, micro-organisms, mold and fungi may start growing, just behind the dash panel on the evaporator causing some very unpleasant odors. Some even claim this can result in headaches and flu like symptom sometimes referred to as “sick car syndrome.”
This problem can be solved by using an anti-bacterial treatment that destroys the bacteria growth and leaves your car smelling fresh again.
2. If your automobile does NOT feel cold enough, then you may need to recharge your system.
If you feel that your car doesn’t feel as cold as your friend’s car, then your system may need servicing. The air conditioning system in your vehicle is not usually covered by most manufacturers servicing schedules and the refrigerant gas that is used to operate the system depletes over time. This leakage can be caused when the system is not used during the winter months. Thus allowing the small “O” ring seals to dry out resulting in a gradual deterioration in system performance. If this continues, eventually the system will not be able to operate at all.
Most problems of this type can be put right fairly easily by a leak check of your system followed by a complete refill of your air conditioning refrigerant, this is sometimes referred to as a re-gas.
3. Running your air conditioning year round will help maintain the automobile A/C system.
If you run the air conditioning in the winter it will help to keep the system well lubricated and leak tight. This is because the refrigerant actually carries the oil that lubricates the system and most importantly the compressor. It also keeps the seals and hoses moist, thus preventing them from drying out and cracking which can lead to leaks.
4. Strange noises coming from the air conditioning should be attended to immediately.
If your air-con system suddenly starts making noises you have not heard before it is very advisable to have a qualified vehicle air conditioning specialist to have a look at it. Some noises could be early symptoms of a compressor failure (the compressor is the air conditioning pump). The compressor is usually the most expensive part on the system and if the bearings in your compressor break down or if the compressor seizes up it also means that other components can become contaminated with metal particles A flush of the system would then be needed as well as replacement of the compressor, the receiver/drier and the expansion valve – quite a hefty bill.
5. Don’t worry too much about a pool of water forming under your automobile after using the A/C.
If you see a puddle of water on the ground, usually under the passenger area don’t be alarmed. This is a normal feature of the system as it is only water dripping from the air conditioning evaporator. The evaporator has a drain tube fitted to allow the condensation from the evaporator to drain away from the vehicle.
6. Excessive moisture inside the car can be fixed easily.
Sometimes the drain tube from the evaporator may become blocked or detached allowing the condensation to build up inside your evaporator. If this occurs water will just build up inside your car to a point where there are damp carpets or misting / high humidity type problems. These problems can be solved with low-cost servicing.
7. Have your air conditioning serviced regularly, even if there are no visible problems.
Just as the other systems of your car need servicing on a regular basis, the same is true for the air conditioning system. The compressor needs oil, or else it will seize up. The filter collects debris and moisture. If the filter becomes blocked, then the performance of the system will deteriorate and it can even quit working entirely (probably when you need it most!)
Normally the refrigerant gas in a car air conditioning system has to be recharged completely within four years from the manufacture date and thereafter every two to three years.
An annual servicing of your car’s air conditioning system will guard against malfunctions in the compressor and other vital parts of the system. Regular maintenance will save you money in the long run and guarantee you comfort in the hottest months.
Schedule your A/C Appointment Online today!
www.autorepairtips.org
by tvetensautocliniccom on April 12, 2011
