Questions You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Ask Your Auto Repair Tech

March 7th, 2017

Often, drivers are mystified by how their cars actually work. It’s to be expected. Even an older car is a complex machine with many sub-assemblies that all work together to move it down the road.

As a result, drivers tend to be a little intimidated by auto repair and often tend to not inform themselves by asking the necessary questions of a tech or a garage. Too often, that ends up being a big mistake. Here are some examples of the kinds of things you really should know before any auto repair work starts:

  • Does your shop work on any kind of vehicle? Of course, most shops can service a product from GM, Ford, Chrysler, Nissan, Toyota and the other leading makes. Some makes, however, require a lot more training and experience, or even factory certifications. Vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW and certain other makes often require specialized tools and training; that’s why many towns ha ...[more]
  Tags: auto repair, mechanic, car repair, auto service
  Posted in: Auto Repair 101

Things To Look For When Buying a Used Car

September 15th, 2016
Buying a used car is somewhat less of a crapshoot than it was at one time. You can get detailed information on a vehicle's history via the CARFAX report, and a technician can use onboard diagnostics to get a good picture of what's going on under the hood and what problems might be coming up. 
 
It's always a good idea to get a mechanic to look over any prospective purchase, but there are things you can get a look at yourself before you spend the money for a professional inspection. These are things which will give you a pretty good idea of the kind of use and maintenance a vehicle has seen before you got it. 
 
-- Put your head against a fender and sight down the side of the vehicle with one eye. Look out for ripples or irregularities in the sheet metal which could point to a collision and body work. Look closely for mismatched paint on body panels, or paint which has an orange-peel text ...[more]
  Tags: mechanic, auto service
  Posted in: Auto Repair 101

Do You Ask the Right Questions? - Milstead Automotive

March 6th, 2016

car-repair-servicesby: Amy Milstead

 

 

Your mechanic or auto repair technician should possess the same qualities that you expect from your doctor and dentist; namely trust and reliability. Car owners have a lot at stake when seeking vehicle maintenance and repairs, it's very important to find the right auto repair technician. There are three categories of inquiries you should make about his business: the skill lev ...[more]

  Tags: auto repair, mechanic, car repair
  Posted in: Tires 101

What Does Your Check Engine Light Mean? Milstead Automotive

January 23rd, 2015

When your car's "Check Engine" light comes on, it's usually accompanied by a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. The light could mean a costly problem, like a bad catalytic converter, or it could be something minor, like a loose gas cap. But in many cases, it means at minimum that you'll be visiting your mechanic to locate the malfunction and get the light turned off.

The Check Engine light, more formally known as the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL), is a signal from the car's engine computer that something is wrong. Older vehicles may not have this, but any newer vehicle is equipped with a tiny all-knowing computer that will be your lifeline in communicating any problem with how the engine is running. Your Tire and Automotive service department can diagnose the problem, but there are ways to preview what the problem might be.

Prior to 1996, carmakers had ...[more]

  Tags: mechanic, car repair
  Posted in: Tires 101
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