Car Repair Specialists serving Eugene and Springfield since 1973


Some previous Automotive Tips and Information, with Preventative Maintenance sprinkled in.

Electrical, Performance and Electronics

Tuneups - What/When and Cost: Do you need a Tune-Up? What does it consist of?

Is that Check Engine Light Important? What should I do when the light comes on?

Battery Cables. On some cars these overlooked cables are very expensive when they go bad.

Batteries, Buying, Ratings, Jump Starting What to look for when buying, keeping them clean.

Intermittents? Sometimes my car runs good other times it doesn't or won't start, what's wrong?


Car Repair and Maintenance Costs

Automotive Diagnostic Costs: Why does it cost so much to find out what is wrong with my Car?

Comparing car repair or service Estimates: A service performed at one place may be different than the next.

Vehicle Service Contracts: Is buying a breakdown insurance a good idea?

Car Warranty Myth: Who can do the maintenance if your car is under Manufacture warranty?

Buying or Selling your Car

Buying a New or Used Car: Some things to think about before putting down that money for another car.

Should you keep that old car or sell it?: Is it time to give up and buy a new car, or not.

Miscellaneous Tips

Critters in your Ducts?: Rodents do a lot of damage to cars every year. They love wiring and heater ducts.

Test drive your Owner's Manual: There is a lot of information in that often forgotten manual.

Your VIN: What does it mean?

Engine, Powertrain and Brakes

A Matter of Timing What is a Timing Belt? Do I need to replace it? What else should I replace?

What is a Headgasket? Symptoms of a "blown" headgasket. Why they fail.

Automatic Transmission Life Why many of these expensive components fail.

Brake Noises, pulsation, material, fluid and ABS.

Your Car's Clutch- How it works

Maintenance, Fluids and Safety

Antifreeze: Why is it so important, why does it need to be changed and how much is necessary.

Oil Facts, Grades and Intervals: Information on oil, how often should it be changed, Synthetics, Flushes.

Oil Filters: The differences between quality cheap filters.

Gasoline:
Information on octane, quality, ethanol, additives, storage, etc. | Better Mileage | Fuel Injectors

Evaporative Emission Systems:
Why do we need it?

Air Conditioning: What causes compressors to fail - what kind of maintenance needed.

Tire Information: - tips to Make your Tires last, tire care,
types of tires, tire age, siping and pressures.

Maximize your Car's Value for resale or just for longevity.

About Safety Recalls: A little information on Safety Recalls and the largest ones

Site Search

Today's car has more computer power than the Apollo II spacecraft that Neil Armstrong flew to the moon. (USA Today March, 3, 1997)


Many of today's cars have more than 100 million lines of software code running everything from navigation systems to braking systems. (November 2010)