Thursday, July 27, 2017

Get Your Car Ready to Go Back to School

One item not usually on the top of to-do list when getting ready to go back to school is car care maintenance.  Consider some of the items below to help get your car ready for a great school year.

Under the Hood
To help prevent maintenance issues or potentially costly repairs, open the hood of your vehicle and check the following:

  • Fluid levels of engine oil, coolant and transmission, and brake and power steering fluid - your owner's manual will illustrate where everything is located and the proper levels to maintain.
  • If your car is leaking fluid, its color may help you determine what it is and locate the source.
  • Battery - Consider testing the battery with a voltmeter and replace it if it shows signs of reduced performance.
Check the Tires
Check the tires for uneven tread wear, nails or other potential hazards.  One easy way to check tread depth is inserting a penny into a groove - if any part of Abe Lincoln's head is obscured, you have enough tread. Check the pressure on each tire with a gauge when they're cold (not driven).  Follow the vehicle manufacturer's suggested pressure, which is located on most vehicles on a sticker inside the driver's door, center console, glove compartment lid or in the owner's manual.  Also, make sure the spare tire is inflated and a jack, lug wrench, lug nut key (if equipped with locking lug nuts) and jumper cables are in the trunk.

Check the Lights
Check all lights including the headlights, turn signals, emergency flashing lights, and brake lights.  Vehicles can have many different types of bulbs and they have varying life spans.  Inspect you vehicle regularly to ensure your lights are working properly.

We are Here to Help
Maintenance issues still can occur despite your preventive maintenance efforts.  if you have any concerns after your own inspection, give The Auto Analyst, your local one stop auto repair facility, a call and we will have one of our certified auto repair technicians perform a safety check which can help minimize maintenance issues and get you on the road to a fantastic school year.

The Auto Analyst can be reached at (530) 621-4591 or visit our website at www.theautoanalyst.com.


Wednesday, July 5, 2017

YOUR CAR IS TOTALED - SHOULD YOU BUY IT BACK FROM YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY?

Over the years we have seen many vehicles that have been totaled by the insurance company and then bought back by their owners.  Many don't realize that when you buy back your vehicle you must register it with DMV to get a "salvaged" title.  Besides completing the necessary required paperwork you must also have State Brake and Lamp Inspections and sometimes a State Smog Inspection.  The State Brake and Lamp Inspections are extremely detailed inspections. You may think that your vehicle is in tip top shape but many find out otherwise.  Some even find out that to pass these inspections it is going to cost a lot of money. So my advice to you, if you are ever in the situation and must decide what to do, please have your vehicle inspected for the State Brake and Lamp certificates to see if there are any unseen problems and what the cost would be to have repaired.  Some will be surprised that you may be money ahead to just let the insurance keep the vehicle.

The Auto Analyst, your local one stop auto repair facility, is a licensed State Brake and Lamp facility along with a State Smog Inspection Station.  We can be reached at (530) 621-4591 or visit our website at www.theautoanalyst.com