Does Your Car Make The Grade?

As the end of summer nears, students are getting ready to head back to school. Whether it’s driving to college or carpooling with other neighborhood families, a properly maintained car is the safest, most dependable way to go. When your passengers are your children and their classmates, making sure your car gets more than a…

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Headlamp Replacement and Restoration

Way too many accidents happen at night. There are a lot of factors, but a big one is simply visibility; if you can’t see something, it’s hard to avoid hitting it. There are some things you can do to make sure you see as much as possible when driving in the dark. First of all, keep your windshield clean.…

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Visual Blind Spots When Driving

When we drive, we enter blind spots.  We can greatly reduce our blind spots by properly adjusting our mirrors to give the widest coverage possible. Make the adjustments to your vehicle before you start to drive. First, adjust your rear view mirror to give the best possible view directly to the rear of your vehicle. You don’t need it…

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A Change for the Better? Just Ask Your Brakes.

Changing the many fluids in a vehicle is always a change for the better. Dirty engine oil, transmission fluid or anti-freeze are bad news for a car. But what about brake fluid? Many motorists know that this fluid should be topped off, but changed? Brake fluid in the typical vehicle can become contaminated in two…

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Do I Need to Re-Pack My Wheel Bearings?

I remember my dad having the shop “pack the bearings” on the family car.  Is this something you need to have done? At one time, all wheel bearings were “serviceable” and needed to be taken care of from time to time. It’s a little trickier these days. First off, the wheel bearings in your vehicle…

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Getting Your Car Ready for College

Students are busy preparing for college and the last thing on their list – if it makes the list at all – is checking out the condition of the car they will take to school. The expectation may be that parents handle the routine auto maintenance, but regardless of who does it, a thorough check-up…

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Drivetrain Quiz

Your car’s drivetrain is a vital power-transmitting component and key to dependability. It’s responsible for transmitting the flow of power from the engine to the wheels. The components include the clutch, torque converter, transmission, driveshafts (or axle shafts in front wheel drive), U-joints, CV joints, differential and axles. Most motorists take these components for granted until something goes wrong.…

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When Should I Replace My Windshield Wipers?

When should I replace my windshield wipers? Well, most car owners wait until they fail. The problem with that is that you find out they have failed when you actually need them most – a little too late. Wiper blades are really an essential safety system for car owners. As you can imagine, 90% of…

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Ask the Tech: What is Power Brake Service?

What is power brake service and why do I need to have it done? Imagine: you pour a tablespoon of water in your hand and throw it as hard as you can. Now, suppose you suck up a tablespoon of water into a syringe, push the plunger and squirt it out. Which would go further?…

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Get Ready For Winter

Part of parenting is dispensing driving advice. For example, in icy weather young drivers may be told, “Take it slow. Don’t drive any faster than the speed at which you’re willing to hit a brick wall.” Thanks Mom. Thanks Dad. Driving slowly and cautiously is good advice, but Douglas Automotive Repair Inc reminds drivers of…

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