Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Archives for January 2011

Brake Fluid Change

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Brake Fluid ChangeReader Question: I took my truck in for a routine oil change.  The mechanic said I needed a brake fluid change because it was dirty and needed flushing because of the ABS anti-lock brakes.  I’ve never heard of this before.  Why do I need a brake fluid change?

Dear Reader: Clean brake fluid is vital in keeping your brake system working properly.  Brake fluid shouldn’t freeze or boil, but as soon as it is put into the brake system it starts to absorb moisture.  The fluid attracts moisture through microscopic pores in the rubber hoses or seals and through exposure to the air.  That moisture is very damaging to the brake fluid.  After only one year of service, the brake fluid in an average vehicle might contain as much as two percent water and it  takes very little  moisture to make the brake fluid less effective.  The heat generated by normal and especially hard braking makes the moisture in the fluid boil and that causes the brakes to loose their effectiveness.  Also brake fluid that is contaminated with moisture and dirt (if moisture can get in than so can dirt) can have a drastic effect on braking systems that use anti-lock brakes.  The contaminants can ruin the delicate inner parts of these systems, which are extremely expensive to repair.

Did you know that the average motorist who drives 10,000 to 15,000 miles a year uses their brakes about 75,000 times a year?  You would think that since drivers are using their brakes so much they would recognize the importance of having their brake fluid changed.  But probably half of all vehicles that are 10 or more years old, here in the U.S. have never had their brake fluid changed.  Just like you, they have never heard of it, or if they have, they have failed to see the importance of it.  Experts recommend having a brake fluid change every one to two years as a preventative measure.  We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t agree.

Fuel System Cleaning

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We are asked quite a few questions when we recommend a fuel system cleaning.  The most frequently asked questions are:  ” I haven’t noticed any problems so why do I need this service?”  The answer to this question is that most vehicles are equipped with a “knock sensor” which decreases the engine’s performance to prevent harmful knocking conditions.  You might not notice the reduced performance and fuel economy because it happens gradually.  After the fuel system cleaning you may notice a dramatic increase in the performance and fuel economy of your car.

We are also asked, “why does my car need a fuel system cleaning?”  Our cars have fuel systems that have fuel injectors, intake ports, intake valves, combustion chambers, throttle body and an intake manifold.  Each of these areas can have deposits build up that can create problems in the engine.  If you have experienced rough idling, engine stalling or hesitation, loss of power or engine knocking, the problem might be in your fuel system. Fuel System Cleaning

Another question we get is,” what’s the difference between a fuel system cleaning and a tune-up?”  When you have the fuel system cleaned there aren’t any parts replaced.  When you have a tune-up the spark plugs are usually replaced.  The fuel system service cleans the existing parts in the engine so they run like they were new.  Since we haven’t replaced any parts we’re often asked what we actually do to the car.  What our technician will do is attach cleaning tools to the fuel system that clean deposits from the fuel injectors, intake valves and the combustion chamber.  The deposits are also removed from the air intake system.   These deposits occur as a by-product of burning gasoline and need to be removed on a regular basis.  We recommend that you have a fuel system cleaning every 36,000 miles to keep your car running at it’s best.

Auto Brake Repair

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In these days of difficult economic times, none of us want to be taken for a ride when it comes to having an auto brake repair.  The braking system in a car is a complex system that needs  proper maintenance and care throughout the lifetime of the car to keep you and your family safe.   It’s important to get the best information on auto brake repair so you don’t end up being cheated out of your hard earned money.

The best thing we can do to save us from brake repair is preventative maintenance.  Avoid “riding” your brakes.  It’s better to slow down with moderate pressure and then release the brake allowing them to cool, rather than riding the brakes and overheating them.  Also consider downshifting to save your brakes. Downshifting lets your engine do some of the braking instead of your brakes.  This should only be used when traction conditions are good.  In ice, snow, or even rain, downshifting into too low of a gear may cause you to skid.  Auto Brake Repair

Even when we are pro active and do our best to avoid a brake repair, normal daily activities cause wear and tear on our cars and can cause problems.

The most common problem with the braking system is wear.  Brakes do a lot of work and the brake pads take the brunt of the punishment.  It’s a good idea to have them checked every six months or more often  if you suspect a problem.  If there is squeaking, grinding or difficulty stopping there might be a problem.  Most brake pads have a thin metal tab which vibrates when the pads wear down to a dangerous level.  Some brake pads don’t have this tab and if they aren’t check periodically they can wear down far enough to ruin the rotors.

Another problem is warped rotors.  Rotors warp if the brake pads are bent, defective or incorrectly installed or if they are exposed to excessive heat.  A warped rotor will give a pulsing feeling when you are applying the brakes.  This pulsing can be annoying and dangerous, have  your car checked as soon as possible if this is occurring.

When you have made the decision to visit your mechanic, keep these things in mind.   Ask your mechanic to clean all the brake system components after they’ve completed your brake repair.  This ensures a dust and squeak free job.  Also ask your mechanic about using an anti-squeak compound on the back of the brake pads.  This can keep the pads from vibrating and annoying you.  And most importantly, watch out for shops that practice bait and switch.  Bait and switch is advertising a product on TV or in the paper at a low price  and then when you ask for that product or service they claim not to have it anymore but can get you something “better”.  This is how they lure you into their business so they can sell you products or services that you don’t really need.  You can keep your money and your car safe by educating yourself about auto brake repair.

New Year Resolution

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The tradition of the New Year resolution goes all the way back to 153 B.C. when the Romans named the first month of the year after Janus.  Janus was a mythical king of early Rome believed to be the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances.  He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back.  Therefore he could look backward and forward at the same time.  At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new.  Many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts  before the beginning of each year.New Year Resolution

Today we make New Year resolutions to try to improve some aspect of ourselves in the coming year.  Resolutions like losing weight, quit smoking, eat healthier or getting out of debt.  But unfortunately for most of us, our resolutions are broken shortly after we’ve made them.   In fact, a recent study found that 22% of people give up on their resolutions in the first week and by the end of March more than half of New Year resolvers have fallen off the bandwagon.  The  failure that we experience with New Year resolutions has inspired many famous quotes about them.  One unknown author wrote, “A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” Another unknown author wrote,  “Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.” Joey Adams wrote “May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolution.” But I think that Benjamin Franklin had the right idea about resolutions when he wrote, ” Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” With that as our goal, we here at Express Car Care resolve to discover what mistakes we make and do our best to correct them.   We resolve to continue to give our customers quality and honest service in a friendly and courteous manner at a fair price.  If you have ideas how we can better serve you this coming year please share them with us.  Happy New Year!

Quick Oil Changes

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At this time in history it seems that we are moving faster than ever and everything we want, we want it quick!  We even want quick oil changes!  Is there anything wrong with that?  I don’t think so.  There are certain advantages to visiting a quick lube for an oil change.  Of course the most obvious advantage is time.  The average quick lube shop takes 14 minutes to perform a full-service lube, oil and filter change and multipoint inspection.  Fourteen minutes every few months isn’t much time to spend on maintaining your vehicle.Quick Oil Changes

Another advantage of the quick lube is convenience.  It isn’t difficult to find a quick oil change shop, they seem to be on every corner.  That doesn’t mean it’s recommended to pop into just any quick lube.  It’s important that you do some research on the shop that you want to visit.  Find out if they use quality oil and if their service techs are properly trained.  Also make sure they are held accountable to perform quality work on your vehicle.  Most quick oil changes are accompanied by a multipoint inspection.  These inspections can catch things such as headlights or other small bulbs that need to be replaced as well as air filters and cabin air filters(the filter that works for your heat and AC inside the car, although not every car has one.)  An inspection can also alert you to a major repair that might be necessary soon.  (This is the time you want to make sure that the shop you are dealing with is reputable and trustworthy so they aren’t trying to sell you repairs you don’t really need.)  If your quick lube also has an auto repair shop, (like ours) you can set up an appointment to have your car repaired.  One stop shopping!  Getting a quick oil change in a shop like ours is even more convenient because we can also perform major services like a transmission flush or a coolant flush at the same time we’re changing the oil.  So if saving time while maintaining your car is important to you than quick oil changes is the answer you’re looking for!  What do you think?

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks