Bob Hope's Auto Repair

Understanding Your Car

Spring is Here!

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Spring weather is here and that means you’ll be driving more. Of course, you’ll need to make sure your car or truck is ready for the scenic drives you’ll be taking to the mountains or the shore. These spring car maintenance tips are a good way to make sure your vehicle is ready.

  1. Remove winter tires or rotate all-season radials: For those who have winter tires, it’s time for you to have them removed and stored until the fall. If you’ve got all-season radials, you’ll want to have them rotated.
  2. Replace wiper blades: Winter weather can be quite harsh on wiper blades. Spring and Fall are ideal times to have wiper blades replaced.
  3. Check your brakes: With many of today’s vehicles, it’s fairly easy to check the amount that’s left on your brake pads. You’ll need to be able to see the pads and discs to inspect them. Of course, you can always bring your vehicle to us for a brake inspection.
  4. Have your steering and suspension inspected. Thanks to the freeze/thaw cycles of winter, potholes are a fact of life. Hitting them can really do a number on your vehicle’s steering and suspension. If your steering is pulling to one side, it could indicate that your vehicle is out of alignment or if your car is riding rough, it could point to suspension problems. If you suspect you may have a problem with your steering or suspension, ask us to examine your vehicle. We’ll be able to diagnose the problem and get you back on the road in no time.
  5. Clean your vehicle’s underbody: Build-up from salt that’s on the roads after winter storms can lead to corrosion and rusting. Be sure to rinse the underbody of your vehicle (including underneath the rear and front bumpers).
  6. Apply a protectant: The sun can be very damaging to vinyl and leather surfaces. It’s always a good idea to apply a protectant to vinyl and leather at the beginning of the warm weather seasons.
  7. Change the oil: Warmer weather puts greater demands on your engine. Make sure it’s up to the task by changing the engine oil and filter.
  8. Check the fluids: Just like the engine oil, it’s important to regularly check the level and condition of fluids in your vehicle. We’re happy to do this for you when you bring your vehicle in for an oil and filter change. You should also have these fluids (antifreeze, brake, transmission, steering) changed on a schedule that’s recommended in your owner’s manual.
  9. Check the AC. There is nothing worse than turning on your car’s A/C and feeling nothing but hot air. Ensure that your vehicle is ready for those first warm spring days by testing the air conditioning system. Turn on your A/C and run the fan on all speeds. Does the air feel as cold as you remember from last summer? Is the fan blowing strong on all speeds? If something seems amiss, make an appointment with your mechanic to have the cooling system examined.

In addition to these Spring car maintenance tips, the best way to enjoy driving this Spring is to bring your vehicle in to us. Our certified technicians will give you peace of mind about the safety and reliability of your car. Click here to schedule your Spring car maintenance appointment now.

What’s the Point of an Annual Tune-Up?

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You’ve probably heard the saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This couldn’t be more true when it comes to your vehicle.

Rather than waiting for something to break, be pro-active and schedule tune-ups on a regular basis. This will help you avoid inconvenient and expensive problems from occurring. Routine inspections often find small problems before they become big problems. This affords you peace of mind and also helps you save money!

Other benefits of an annual tune-up? Your car will give you a smoother ride, it will have higher resale value and you’ll reduce the chances of an accident occurring due to some malfunction.

What are some of the things we check during your annual tune-up?

  • Your air filters. Your vehicle needs air to burn the gasoline you put in the tank. This may sound odd, but it kind of needs air to breathe, just like you do. The air drawn into your engine is cleaned by air filters, but as you drive each day, these filters become more and more clogged with dirt. The dirt reduces the flow of air through the filter, which wastes fuel, causes engine problems, and pumps more pollutants into the environment.
  • Your fluids. Your vehicle depends on fluids to run. There’s transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, coolant, and oil. Like the air filter, these fluids become dirtier and dirtier the more you drive. Changing them regularly helps your car run cooler and more smoothly, AND it adds to the lifespan of your vehicle. You’re probably most familiar with the need to change the oil. And this is probably the most critical thing to do regularly. But the others matter too.
  • Your battery. In addition to gasoline, your car needs electricity to run. To make sure that this electricity is always there when you need it, it’s important to have your battery checked regularly so you’re not caught by surprise by a battery that’s reached the end of its life span.
  • Your tires. A blown out tire is a serious safety hazard. At the very least, it can really ruin your day. Of course things happen; even with good tires you could drive over something that causes a puncture. But tire failure is much more likely if your tires are worn down and not fit for the road. We’ll check for excessive or uneven wear and we’ll take care of replacing your tires when it becomes time.
  • Your belts. If you’re like most drivers, you don’t give a lot of thought to the belts on your engine. They’re essential to the operation of your vehicle, though, and they wear out over time. When they wear out, they can break and cause a LOT of damage. For example, if a timing belt snaps, your engine could literally be ruined in seconds. We examine the belts during a tune-up, and if there’s obvious wear or if the belts have exceeded the lifespan recommended by the manufacturer, we replace them.
  • Your brakes. For obvious reasons, malfunctioning brakes put you and your passengers in serious danger. Brakes have various parts, and each of these parts needs to be checked regularly to ensure that the whole thing will work when you press the pedal. We will examine your brakes during a tune-up, checking the pads, rotors, calipers, brake lines and fluid, giving you peace of mind that your vehicle will be able to stop.

Did you know that you don’t need to have your car serviced at the dealership where you bought it in order to maintain the factory warranty? Get in touch with us today to schedule your annual tune-up.

Driving Safely On Winter Roads

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To stay safe behind the wheel this winter season, remember these tips:

Tire Tread

Even the best tires won’t do any good if they don’t have enough tread on them. Use the Penny Test to ensure that your tires have sufficient tread: Insert a penny (with Lincoln’s head pointing down) in between the raised portions of your tire’s tread. If you cannot see the top of Lincoln’s head, then your tires have sufficient tread; if you can, it may be time to purchase new tires. Insufficient tread depth doubles your stopping distance. Adequate tread reduces hydroplaning and helps prevent accidents.

Use this method to check the tread in various places on each tire to ensure that your tires are wearing evenly as well. Uneven wear could imply that you have an alignment problem, another issue that could affect your vehicle’s ability to maneuver on slick, snow-covered roads.

Proper Tire Inflation

When was the last time you checked the air pressure in your tires? If the answer is before winter temperatures set in, re-check now. For every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tires lose one psi of air, meaning that tires that were properly inflated during the summer and fall could now be at a dangerously low psi, affecting your car’s maneuverability and traction. Improper inflation can also affect things like your gas mileage and tire wear. So regularly check your tire’s psi and make sure that tires are inflated to the levels specified in your owner’s manual.

Slow Down

Driving slowly is the key to maintaining control on snowy or icy roads. Everything you do – accelerating, stopping, and turning – takes longer and is less predictable with snow or ice on the ground. The posted speed limit is beside the point in these conditions.

Accelerate slowly enough to maintain traction and then leave yourself plenty of space to slow down at traffic lights, especially on ice. Remember that bridges and overpasses freeze before roadways do.

Don’t Tailgate

Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the one in front of you. While it’s often recommended to follow two seconds behind at 30 mph and four seconds at 60 mph, those times should be doubled in wet conditions and tripled for snow.

Be a Smooth Operator

Here’s a tip that really adds to winter safety: Accelerate, brake and steer as if you had a full cup of hot coffee on the dashboard. This helps prevent loss of control.

Another way you can think about driving super-smoothly: Drive as if you don’t have brakes at all, since you never know whether or not you’ll have any grip when you need it.

Don’t Over-Estimate Your Vehicle

Many drivers think that their all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles will automatically keep them safe during winter driving. The truth is, while four-wheel traction systems can help you get going in snow and ice, plus provide extra control when turning, they won’t help you stop much faster than a front- or rear-wheel-drive car if you hit a patch of ice. You’ll still need to think about driving slowly, watching for other motorists, and properly braking.

Prepare Your Car For Winter – 5 Tips

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With temperatures dropping, it’s time to make sure your car or truck is ready for winter. The right maintenance, preparation and tools can be literal lifesavers in harsh conditions. Here are five ways to make sure you’re ready to withstand cold weather for a safe driving experience.

Have your mechanic inspect your battery, hoses, belts and fluids

Winter temperatures can be pretty brutal on your car. If you have a cracked hose or a worn belt, the frigid air just might cause the weak area to give out. Batteries are more likely to die in winter as your vehicle needs more current to fight the cold.

Also have all lights and your heater/defroster checked out to ensure they won’t let you down at a critical time.

Replace the wiper blades

Your windshield wiper blades need to be at peak performance to help clear snow and sleet as you’re driving. It’s easy to procrastinate on this task, and millions of drivers do just that. But worn wiper blades can smear snow and ice,putting your ability to see the road — and ultimately, your life — at risk.

Check your tires — all of them

Winter is the season when your tires need to be at their best. So, have them checked now, long before bad weather suddenly appears, to ensure they have the proper tread.

If the tires are sound, make sure they are properly inflated. Don’t forget to check the spare, too! Remember that cold weather causes tires to lose air more quickly. So check your pressure at least monthly.

Keep visibility in mind

Seeing clearly in winter weather is key. First and foremost,get a good snow brush/scraper. They’re inexpensive and the bigger it is the faster and better you can clear the glass. Be careful not to scratch the windows –start with minimal pressure and add more gradually. Also clean your windows. You’d be amazed at how much gunk can build up on the inside portion of your windshield.

Prepare an emergency kit

Keep a basic winter survival kit in your vehicle.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence recommends keeping thefollowing items on hand:

  • Extra gloves
  • Boots and blankets
  • Flares
  • A small shovel and a container of sand or kitty litter
  • Tire chains
  • A flashlight and extra batteries
  • A cellphone and an extra car charger
  • “High-energy” snacks in your glove box