Okay, so why a site called Auto Repair Greenwood and why should you listen to what I have to say?
Well, first of all, I am not an auto mechanic so this site was designed to help a typical car owner make informed decisions when it comes to car maintenance and possible solutions to automotive service issues and not as a platform for businesses looking for, well, new business so the information here is impartial.
Note: I do have experience with finding an auto mechanic so if that is what you are looking for this site will be helpful, and vital actually, to you as well.
Now, hopefully when you went online to try and figure out one of the many issues you may be having with your car, you typed in something like Auto Repair Greenwood, and, if I designed this site correctly, I should have been one of the first results you found.
… and lucky for you, you have!
I’m a typical car owner who has spent years trying to find an auto mechanic that knows cars and will not rip me off. Every time I see the check engine light come on, I wonder what the problem really is. I know there are many possible causes, but which one is it? I don’t want to buy a bunch of repair manuals or enroll in some training program, I just want my car fixed and fixed right!
I have been wasting money on needless repairs and still not getting my car fixed right. Finding someone to do regular maintenance, oil changes and tune ups done right can be very frustrating!
To be fair to myself I must say here that I am not the handiest guy when it comes to cars, I’d rather work on a computer any day! I’ve just never been that in to cars!
Of course cars are so complex these days, what with all the sensors and computer issues.
Another problem that I face is all the special tools you need to work on cars these days.
Years ago, I used to change my oil and spark plugs, but I no longer want to crawl under a car in my driveway and things are so crowded under the hood it makes it difficult to reach anything.
My pesky neighbor tells me I should do these things myself, but I never see him working on his car.
I quickly abandoned the idea of trying to fix everything that went wrong with my car when I went to the auto parts store and discovered how much it would cost to buy all the tools I would have to get to do the things I didn’t want to do in the first place.
My wife, having witnessed my painful attempts at auto repair,asked around and found a decent mechanic. Tucking my tail between my legs and acknowledging my wife’s wisdom, I took my car to the auto mechanic she found.
Thankfully he had obvious experience with wives not knowing their place and did not make fun of my attempts at auto repair, saying I had just could probably fix things myself, but he could get them done a little faster.
So, fast forward a bit and I now have a car that runs right thanks to a pro.
This site will chronicle all the mistakes I made and all the great advice I have been given by the mechanic I am now happy my wife found.
Hopefully as this site, Auto Repair Greenwood continues to grow, you will be able to decide what you can handle if you want to and what is best left to the professionals when it comes to auto repair.
I will recommend the one mechanic that we have used and are very happy with in case you find yourself as I was awhile back… frustrated, defeated and unhappy with my auto repair situation.
It’s that time of year again! The snow falls and the cold winds blow. It’s time to check your antifreeze. The last thing you need is to overheat your engine because the antifreeze is low. Check out this video, it will help you figure out whether yo need to add or change antifreeze.
There has been a lot of talk lately about electric cars, but what is the truth about electric cars? Do they help the environment? Do they save fuel? Are they worth the extra money? Unfortunately, it appears we have been sold a bill of goods. Oddly enough, electric cars require electricity. Where does electricity come from? In most of the United States, electricity is generated by burning coal. While being quite abundant, coal is usually considered a dirty fuel and the governments new restrictions will soon make it much more expensive.
While an electric car does not emit pollutants from a tailpipe, they are merely moved to the power plant. Electric cars do not use gasoline, but an even greater amount of energy must be produced to power them because of transmission line losses. Wind and solar electricity are of no value because of the small percentage of the total power they provide.
If you have a method of producing your own electricity by wind, solar or geothermal means, an electric car could make sense. If not, they only please your ego. Convert your car to run on LP or natural gas. This technology has been around forever and actually is better for the environment and costs less in some areas.
Anyone can make simple repairs on their car.All you need is to know some basic information about your car, and a few tools. Having basic knowledge and the right tools are all you need. You save time, you save money, and it will give you confidence you will not gain any other way.
Do not confuse cheap with affordable. Affordable auto repair equipment is widely available. Just be sure to buy quality. Your mechanic can recommend the best tools. Simple problems and breakdowns can readily be fixed with these tools. If you think you have a serious mechanical problems, it is probably best to have it fixed by a professional mechanic.
Here are examples of tools you should keep in your trunk:
Engine oil
Spare tire
Car jack
Screwdrivers
Pliers
Wrenches
Jumper cables
Cleaning brush
Air pump
Battery charger
Flashlight
Pocket knife
Gloves
Duct tape
Road flares
Reflective vest
Keep you tool kit in the car at all times. That way if your car breaks down, you’ll be able fix things and not be stuck waiting for help to arrive (and that’s if you can get help).
When you buy your tool kit, your cost will vary, depending on what you decide to buy.You can choose to buy a set that comes in a tool box, or you can purchase each item separately, or a combination of the two. You decide what you need. You can also choose from a variety for each tool type. Their are many brands to choose from according to your budget and needs.
There are many things you can do for your self. Changing oil and filling your brake fluid, power steering fluid and windshield wiper fluid, changing wiper blades, maintaining tire pressure, replacing burnt out bulbs are all within your grasp.
Is your serpentine belt cracked? Does it have chunks of rubber missing? If so, it needs replacement. Most late model cars and trucks use a serpentine drive belt to drive all the accessories, A/C, Alternator, Power Steering, and various other pumps and accessories. They should require no regular maintenance. The V-Belt that was used previously, needed periodic adjusting. But the fact of the matter is nothing lasts forever. They do need to be inspected often to keep you from having a break down. When it starts to go bad, you can replace it when you are ready, before it becomes a critical issue. Have it checked at every oil change,also check the position of the self- adjusting mechanism indicator. You will insure you catch a bad belt long before it snaps.
Usually the backside of the serpentine drive belt (which is smooth) drives the water pump. If the serpentine belt gets glazed or oil soaked, it will slip and not provide drive the water pump well enough to keep the engine cool. If there is oil on the serpentine belt, you will need to find out where the leak is and fix it before putting on
a new belt.
Check the belt for damage.Tears or abrasions often mean the serpentine drive belt is rubbing a pulley flange or bolt as travels around the pulleys. This is more common as the drive belt gets older. Fix whatever is damaging the belt.
If you see any pinholes or bumps,it means dirt and debris is getting in between the drive belt and the pulleys. Check the back of the belt for damage. If there are chunks of the ribs missing, it may need replacement. You can crank the engine to expose sections of belt as you check it. A few, small widely spaced chunks are okay, But if there are very many and they are close together, the belt will need to be replaced. Hairline cracks are normal, but if they go into the flat side of the drive belt you will need to replace it.
A good rule of thumb for drive belts is that if cracks are observed 1/8 in apart, all around the belt, the belt may be reaching the end of its useful life and should be changed. Small cracks spaced at greater intervals should not require changing the belt. When the cracking starts, the belt is about halfway through its usable life.
Your cars springs absorb road shock (like hitting a pot hole). The shock absorber stops you car from bouncing after you hit a bump or pot hole. It’s called “dampening the spring”. If there were no shock absorbers, your car would bounce uncontrollably each time you hit a bump. Besides being uncomfortable, it would be dangerous, making your car hard to control.
The shock absorbers force the springs to keep your tires on the road instead of bouncing all over the place. This makes it possible to have better control of your car when turning a corner, or even while driving straight down the road.
You need to have your shocks (or struts) checked if you notice any of these symptoms:
• If your Vehicle rolls or sways on turns
• If the front end dives when braking
• If the rear end squats when accelerating
• If your car bounces or slides sideways on a rough roads
• If your car “bottoms out” on bumps.
Worn shocks (or struts) will accelerate the wear of your tires and you suspension.
Have your mechanic check them every time you have an oil change.
These things indicate a problem:
• Leaky shock housings
• Dented shock housings
• Worn rubber mounting bushings
• Damaged rubber bumpers from “bottoming out”
• Abnormal tire wear (high and low spots)
Good shocks are actually cheaper than cheap shocks. The money you save buying cheap shocks will soon be lost to repairs that would not have been needed if you had the better shocks. Be smart, get the good shocks and you will save money in the long run.
Routine maintenance can be a costly nightmare. Once upon a time, you could take your car to the mechanic down the street with the confidence that he would fix what needed to be fixed, and you would not be ripped off. Unfortunately, that is no longer true. It is common to be billed for all kinds of unnecessary services and parts that did not need to be replaced. Cars are more complex than ever, what with computers and sensors that were not a part of our cars a few years back.
The following services , while occasionally necessary, should not be part of your routine maintenance.
Wheel Balancing: This should only be done if you are experiencing vibration at certain speeds. It is not part of routine maintenance.
Throttle body cleaning: This is rarely necessary. If it does need to be done, remember, it is easy to do and takes very little time. Pay very little for this service
Flushing transmission fluid at 30,000 miles. Check your manufacturer’s recommendation on this matter. Most newer cars only need this at 100,000 miles.
While your radiator does need to be routinely flushed out, power steering systems do not.
Check your owner’s manual. Your owner’s manual should list the services that need to be done on a routine basis.
This section of the Auto Repair Greenwood website covers various items of automotive components like oil, brakes, and other parts.
Most car owners will limit automotive repairs to changing turn signal bulbs or oil. Some will go as far as changing brakes or spark plugs and plug wires. Most of us are not that ambitious anymore.
The most important thing to remember when doing these repairs, aside from general safety precautions is to make sure you use the proper replacement parts.
Take oil for example. Most people would just run up to the store and by some oil.. Many would determine what oil to buy based on price.
However, you need to make sure you get the proper oil. What oil should you use? The Society of Automotive Engineers has a rating system followed by most oil companies. Get what your cars owners manual recommends.
And what about replacing spark plugs? You need to know what type and brand to replace it with? You need to see what your cars’ manufacturer recommends. Use what is recommended or the equivalent.
There are several oil companies to choose oil products from. There are Synthetic oils, oils for high mileage cars and various grades of oil for different purposes. Buy quality, It’s cheaper in the long run. Here is a great website where you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about motor oil.
When it comes to gasoline, the most important consideration is to use the octane. Gasoline comes in different octane ratings. It is important to use the proper octane gasoline in your car. Once again, check your owners manual. Burning too high an octane gasoline is like flushing money down the toilet. I does not improve performance and costs more than lower octane gasoline.
Here is a great site that explains the difference in octane ratings
So, do your homework and get the right stuff and make sure they are right for your car. You will be glad you did and can rest easy knowing you have done the job right!
Winter is on it’s way. Soon we’ll be dealing with sleet, snow and icy roads. Winter brings additional safety challenges, We need to take care of those auto maintenance jobs and preparations that are specific to cold weather.
To be sure you don’t end up cold and lonely in a broken down car, or hopelessly over budget during the Holiday season take a look under the hood to be sure things are in order. Seasonal maintenance is always important. Make sure you are up to date on maintenance. The change of seasons is a great time to do your regular auto maintenance tasks.
Winter Specific Maintenance
The added hazards of winter driving and the change in weather can cause problems for your car. Freezing temperatures, sleet, snow and salted roads can work your car over if you don’t keep up on maintenance. Do these winter maintenance jobs to stay out of trouble:
* Check your antifreeze Antifreeze is essential to protect your car during winter Antifreeze is normally mixed half and half with water.. It is important to keep the ratio at 50/50. Either more or less Antifreeze in the mix will result in less protection for your car. Your local auto parts store will most likely check it for you no charge,or you can buy a tester inexpensively.
* Check your tires
Check your tires to make sure there is enough tread. When I was a teenager, they used to say to stick a penny in the tread, if the space between the edge and Abe’s head was covered, your tread was good. Not so! National Highway Transportation Safety Board Standards say you need a minimum of 2/32″ depth to be safe. More is better! The National Highway Transportation Safety Board says take the time to check the tread depth. In my opinion, (I’m not an engineer) winter weather requires at least 1/8 inch. Less than that, replace the tire. Anything less than 4/32″ (1/8″) should be replaced soon. It is also important to keep your tires properly inflated. Tires lose pressure when the temperature drops. Keep them inflated to proper pressure.
* Check your wiper blades Wiper blades take a lot of abuse during winter. Snow, sleet and rain are bad enough, but they also have to deal with sand, salt and road chemicals. Between nature and the Highway Department you wiper blades take a lot of grief. Make sure they are in good shape. A new pair is cheap insurance to help you avoid some of life’s little miseries.
* Check your windshield washer fluid Washer fluid will disappear fast as you try to keep your windshield clean. Being stuck in slow moving traffic can keep your windshield covered with crud. If you don’t mix it with water, windshield wiper fluid will not freeze under normal circumstances.. 18-wheeler will have your windshield looking like a Desert Humvee if you’re low on washer fluid.
Annual Maintenance
I’s a good time to do some annual maintenance chores. These things need to be done, might as well get them out of the way now.
* Clean your battery posts
Starting problems will ruin you day. Regularly cleaning your battery and battery posts will make problems less likely.
* Inspect your spark plugs and spark plug wires
Bad plug wires can make your car hard to start,affect gas mileage, performance and general reliability. Be sure yours are in good shape.
* Inspect your brakes
As my Dad used to say “Stop is more important than go”. Make sure your brake pads have enough left to get you through the winter
* Check Your Fluids
Check your oil, transmission fluid and brake fluid. Get an oil change with appropriate oil, something like 5W40. (Check your cars’ owners manual)
If you live in a cold climate, cold weather safety should be a concern . Take these things seriously, winter travel is more hazardous than the rest of the year. The National Weather Service has an excellent Winter Safety & Awareness guide. Get a copy, you’ll be glad you did.
looking for this site will be helpful, and vital actually, to you as well.