Vehicle Maintenance
The Maintenance Mindset
As responsible drivers residents, we know we need to take care of our cars, but it just seems really hard to remember to do it. We generally accept that many things in life require regular maintenance, but just may have not applied it to our vehicles. For example, we water and mow the lawn every week. And…
Read MoreDon’t Wait – 5 Repairs That Can Cost More Later
We’ve all been there — choosing to ignore a troubling sound, odor or sign of wear on our vehicles. Whether it’s finding time in your busy schedule or funds in your checkbook, it’s easy to put off maintenance or repairs, but that can lead to more expensive work down the road. Here are five examples…
Read MoreBack To School Specials
Is your vehicle ready for “Back To School”? Do you have a family vehicle heading back to college? Or, perhaps the local car pool lane? We can help make sure it’s ready to hit the road. We’ll be posting our “Back To School” specials on our website and in our monthly e-mail over the weekend. Check them out…
Read MoreTiming Belt
Let’s address a very important maintenance item for everyone – timing belt replacement. It’s important because letting this one slide can lead to very expensive engine damage. Your timing belt choreographs the timing of your combustion process. Your pistons travel up and down in the cylinder. Intake valves open at the right time to let in air and…
Read MoreService To Improve Fuel Economy
Let’s review some things that drivers can do to improve fuel economy. Bottom line – the better you maintain your vehicle, the less fuel you will use. It all adds up in a big way. For example, replacing your dirty engine air filter will pay for itself in fuel savings before your next oil change –…
Read MoreWill Proper Auto Maintenance Really Save Gas?
Have you ever thought about all the little things we do to keep our lives running smoothly – like vacuuming? It makes a room feel fresher and more comfortable. We may not consider that we’re also prolonging the life of the carpet by keeping it clean. But we don’t always extend those good habits into the…
Read MoreWhy Isn’t My Air Conditioner Blowing Cold Air?
Your air conditioning system uses refrigerant to create cold air. The most common reasons drivers lose their cold air have to do with the refrigerant. The first is not enough refrigerant. Refrigerant is a gas in the system and very small holes in a hose, seal or coupler can allow enough to leak out to prevent the…
Read MoreKeep Your Cool In Hot Summer Cars
When it’s hot outside, one of the last places you want to be is sitting in traffic without a properly functioning air conditioning (AC) system. To help avoid this uncomfortable situation, Douglas Automotive Repair recommends having your AC system checked annually to make sure it is functioning at its peak performance level when the temperatures…
Read MoreTransmission Service
So you have some exciting plans for the weekend. You’re going to take some of your friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you’ve got the boat all ready. And you haven’t forgotten about your tow vehicle. You’ve gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. But you want to make…
Read MoreCooling System Repairs
We all know how important the cooling system is: coolant/antifreeze circulates around the engine, absorbs heat, and then dissipates it in the radiator. Cooling system failure can cause extensive engine damage. There are a couple of fine points that may be useful to you. One is about minor coolant leaks. It’s tempting to put off…
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