Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Deep Breathing in Denver: Engine Air Filter

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Deep Breathing in Denver: Engine Air FilterThe engine in your vehicle really needs clean air to operate efficiently:  it takes about twelve thousand gallons of air to burn a gallon of gas in your engine.  And clean air is much better than dirty.

When your air filter’s dirty, it simply can’t trap anymore dirt, so the dirt just passes through into your air intake system.  From there it can get into the truck engine combustion chamber and burning dust and pollen in your engine as you drive around Denver doesn’t do you or your engine any good.

The verdict:  when your engine air filter needs to be replaced; it needs to be replaced.  How often  depends entirely on how dirty the air is in Denver or wherever you drive.  A simple visual inspection by a courteous Express Car Care technician will tell you when you need a new engine air filter in your vehicle.

When you look at the air filter on your furnace in your home and see it’s all clogged up with dust and dirt, you don’t hesitate to replace it, do you?  So don’t wait until your air filter (furnace or automobile) is totally plugged – by that time you’ve been running inefficiently for a lot of miles.

When your Express Car Care service technician brings out your nasty engine air filter, you now know why you should go ahead and change it out.

Give us a call.

At Express Car Care in Denver, we install quality NAPA replacement parts.  To learn more about NAPA Auto Care, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com

Simple Answers from Express Car Care: Exhaust Service

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Exhaust ServiceQuestion:  My car failed its emissions test – what do I need to do?

Express Car Care Answer:  First of all, let’s make this clear:  A leak in your exhaust system could be deadly!  If Denver drivers smell exhaust in the passenger cabin or hear an unusual exhaust sound, they should get their exhaust system checked and repaired as soon as possible!  Talk to your helpful Express Car Care service adviser. And this is information is critical – Carbon monoxide in your exhaust is odorless, colorless and tasteless and can be fatal to you and your passengers!  So don’t delay if you suspect an exhaust leak.

There could be a number of reasons for a failed Colorado emissions test,  so some important diagnostic work is in order.  A common reason for Denver drivers is that the catalytic converter has failed.  The catalytic converter removes some of the harmful elements in exhaust.

When a catalytic converter fails it must be replaced, which isn’t cheap for an auto owner.  Many people stop there – but the converter failed for a reason.  There may be any number of engine-run conditions that led to the failure.  It would certainly be smart to have your Express Car Care service professional diagnose the cause so that you don’t end up with another expensive catalytic converter replacement down the road.

And let’s not forget that check engine light that so many car owners ignore.  It might just be illuminated for a critical condition that could lead to catalytic converter damage.  Have your service professional get to the bottom of any check engine light situation.

Looking Down the Road in Denver: Wiper Blades

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Wiper BladesIt’s said that 90% of our driving decisions are based on visual information.  Our wiper blades play an important role in this.  Most Denver, Englewood and Littleton drivers know that a dirty or streaked windshield can catch the glare of the sun or on-coming headlights and make it nearly impossible for us to see.

Most busy car owners deal with their wiper blades from a failure perspective.  They address them only when they no longer function.  Instead, Denver drivers should think about wiper blades as an important safety system that they should maintain, rather than repair.

And let’s not get the wrong idea and think that your wiper blades will last longer because you don’t use them very often.  Remember, they live outside in the harsh sun, freezing cold, as well as ice and wind.  They will just dry out and crack over time because of these conditions.

At Express Car Care in Denver, we recommend that motorists change their wiper blades twice a year, in the spring and the fall.  That way you have functional blades for those spring showers and Colorado winter storms.  You should also consider a windshield treatment to help repel water and make it easier to clean off bugs and road grime.

Like everything else in the automotive world, there have been some big advancements in wiper blades, both in terms of the design and the materials from which the blade is made.  We can help you get the same type of blades that came with your vehicle, or if you have a need for better than average windshield wipers, you can pay some more for an upgraded wiper.

And if you live where there is a lot of snow and ice, they make special winter blades that don’t clog up and freeze like standard blades.

Give us a call for more information about wiper blades or any other automotive parts or service.

Express Car Care: Use the Correct Fluids in Your Vehicle

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Car Maintenance To Make Your Old Car Like New AgainBig advances in automotive technology have led to the development of high-tech fluids to keep pace.  A simple example of this is the cooling system.  For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses.  There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion.

Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics.  These materials require different additives to protect them from corrosion.  Since the materials used vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, we now have a number of different kinds of coolant at Express Car Care in Denver.  And it’s important to use the right coolant for your vehicle.  If you pour in the wrong kind, it wont’ protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty.  Your helpful Express Car Care adviser will know the proper coolant to use.  If you’re concerned you may have used the wrong one, be safe and have your Express Car Care technician flush the system and start fresh with the correct fluid.

Brake fluid is confusing for some people.  For a very long time, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid.  Now we have Dot 4 & 5.  Some people mistakenly think the higher numbers are an upgrade.  You know, if 3 is good then 4 must be better.  That’s not how it works.  They have different formulations to meet the requirements of differences in brake systems.  Only one of them is recommended for your vehicle.

Transmission fluid is the same thing.  With the tremendous engineering advances in automatic transmissions, there have been several new types of fluids developed to protect and lubricate them.  Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident than in motor oil.  Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today’s modern engine design.

Modern engines have more parts and much tighter tolerances.  Every year, engines make more power and get better fuel economy.  And even with all the complexities and sophistication, they still have to be durable.  That’s where the new grades of engine oil come in.  They have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those engine parts, big and small.  The oil has to be thin enough to get into small passages, yet resistant to vaporization.

Your vehicle may have come from the factory with synthetic oil and/or transmission, brake, differential fluid, etc.  If so, your recommended service intervals will be based on synthetic-type fluids and you should use the same type when your vehicle is serviced at Express Car Care.

Because grades of oil and types of coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid, etc. are so carefully matched to the vehicle, take care to always use the proper fluid if you are topping off at home.  Check your vehicle owners manual or ask your Express Car Care service adviser.  The wrong fluid can cause damage.

Drum Brakes

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Drum BrakesBrakes that work properly are essential to your safety as you drive and stop on our Denver streets.  You want to carefully maintain your brakes.  In vehicles equipped with drum brakes, (usually older model cars and trucks) the brake components are housed inside a drum that rotates with the wheel.  When you step on the brake pedal, brake shoes push out against the inside of the drum, slowing the wheel.

Now brake shoes just wear away with use from rubbing on the drum as you brake.  When it’s time to replace brake shoes, it’s a straight-forward repair.  If you hear squealing or grinding when braking, have your Denver service adviser check them out.  He’ll have a technician perform a thorough brake inspection to see what needs to be done.  He’ll check for signs of brake problems and go over other brake components to see that they’re working properly.

He can tell you if it’s time to replace the brake shoes or if there are other issues with your brakes that should be addressed.  Some people in our Denver community ignore the warning signs and keep driving long after the shoes are completely worn out.  When that happens, metal brake components will grind against the drum, damaging it enough that it has to be resurfaced or replaced.

When you push on your brake pedal, the wheel cylinder is activated and it pushes the shoes against the drum to slow the vehicle.  This cylinder, and various springs within the brake, can wear out affecting your ability to stop.  The worn components can easily be replaced.

The new brake shoes we put on your truck or other vehicle will restore your brakes to manufacturers’ specifications.  Or, we can install upgraded parts to increase your stopping power and reduce brake noise and brake dust.  We have several options to meet both your braking needs and your budget.

Taking care of your brakes keeps them working safely and can prevent premature brake repairs down the road.

Car Batteries

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Car BatteriesBatteries are a huge part of modern life in Denver and across the country.  I mean, how many battery chargers do you own?

But our purpose here is to talk about your car battery.  When people come into our Denver service center and need a new battery, they’re really not that happy about having to spend the money.  But the fact is that 70 percent of batteries don’t last four years.

There are some things that you can do to extend the life of your battery.  First, keep it clean.  If you see it getting dirty or greasy, let us know at Express Car Care and we can clean it off.  A dirty battery runs hotter and that shortens its life.  If your battery terminals are corroded, let us take a look at that too.  We can clean them, and if the corrosion has gotten into the battery cables, we can replace them.

Also running your battery way down is not good for it:  Things like running the headlights or watching a DVD player when the car is turned off can deeply deplete car batteries.  The typical battery can only take about 10 of those deep cycle depletions before it gives up the ghost.

Because we often take short trips around town with lots of stops for errands, our batteries can end up not getting fully recharged just by driving around.  That also shortens battery life.  You can hook up a good quality automatic battery charger at home from time to time.  We recommend charging once a month during hot months and every three months during cold months.

Now when it’s finally time to get a new battery, we can help you find the right replacement.  We’ll always make sure to meet your manufacturer’s recommendations.  And if you have special needs – like living in a very cold climate or running a lot of electrical accessories, we can look at an upgrade that will give you the power you need.

Tire Rotation and Balancing

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Tire Rotation and BalancingYou can make the tires on your vehicle last longer with regular tire rotation and wheel balancing.

Let’s start with tire rotation.  In normal driving around Denver, your front tires wear more on the shoulders because they handle much of the cornering forces in turns.  Front-wheel drive vehicles have even more force on the front tires.

We rotate the tires so that all of the tires do some duty on the front end as well as getting a little break on the back end.  That way, all four tires wear more evenly over their life and should last longer.

For most vehicles, tires are rotated front to back.  Some manufacturers recommend a cross rotational pattern that includes the spare tire.  And some high-performance vehicles have different size tires on the front and rear and may even have uni-directional tires that can only be on the left or the right side of the vehicle.  Your service adviser at Express Car Care can help you sort that out and will perform the right tire rotation for your vehicle.

Your tire manufacturer will have a recommendation for how often you should rotate your tires.  It’s usually somewhere around 5,000 to 8,000 miles.

Let’s move on to wheel balancing.  That’s when there are heavy spots on the tire and wheel that cause it to wobble.  Balancing adds weights to the wheel to balance it out.  Now, we are talking about very small weight differences.  Variations in the tire and wheel manufacture can cause a slight imbalance.  The valve stem, and now the tire pressure monitoring sensors in the tire, also play into the equation.

Even small differences can cause annoying vibrations at speed:  the wheel is essentially bouncing a bit as it goes down the road.  For example, at freeway speeds, an out of balance wheel can be slamming into the road 14 times a second.  That’s annoying and can also cause your tires to wear out more quickly.

If a front wheel’s out of balance you’ll feel the vibration through the steering wheel.  When it’s a rear tire, you’ll feel the vibration through your seat.  If you’re getting bad vibes from your vehicle, bring it in to see if it’s a balance issue or something else.  You should balance your wheels whenever you get a new tire or remount a tire, like when it has been removed for a flat tire repair.

At Express Car Care in Denver, we install quality NAPA replacement parts.  To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com

Shocks and Struts

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Shock and StrutsLet’s talk shocks and struts.

Shock absorbers and struts last a long time and wear out pretty slowly for most cars and trucks in the Denver area.  They’re easy to take for granted, but your shocks and struts do a very important job so you need to pay attention to them.  They keep your tires on the road; and your tires are what connect your vehicle to the road and allow you to safely handle your car through turns, over bumps and even stop in time.

When your shocks and struts are worn, your tires bounce excessively over bumps in our city streets.  Your vehicle will wallow through corners; your front-end will dive when you stop; and your rear-end will squat when you accelerate.  All this hurts your ability to control your vehicle.  And your ride just isn’t as comfortable.

Worn shocks or struts cause excessive tire wear so you’ll have to replace your tires sooner than you should.  Worn shocks and struts also stresses other suspension and steering parts causing them to wear prematurely.  Struts are actually a major structural component of the suspension system; there’s a lot riding on them.

Replacing worn shocks and struts saves money in the long run for our local drivers – and of course you can’t really put a price on your safety and that of your passengers.  We generally recommend replacing shocks and struts at 50,000 miles.

When it is time for new shocks or struts, we’ve got you covered.  We can give you back the ride and handling of a new vehicle.  And if you have special needs we can help you there too.  We have premium shocks and struts that will improve your performance.  We can even help you with upgraded, heavy-duty shocks that will give you the confidence you need to handle those big towing or hauling jobs.

Experts recommend replacing all four shocks at the same time so that handling is even at each wheel.  If you need new shocks or struts, let us help you take care of this important safety service.  You’ll feel better, and you’ll save money on tires and other suspension repairs down the road.

Timing Belt Replacement

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Timing Belt ReplacementLet’s address a very important maintenance item for everyone in Denver – 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 fuel, they close at the right time to allow the fuel to burn and then the exhaust valves open at the right time to let out the exhaust.  All these things happen thousands of times a minute and it’s your timing belt that makes sure the valves are opening and closing at precisely the right time.  If the timing is off, your engine won’t run.  And that’s the best case scenario.

The worst case is that a valve is opening at the wrong time and collides with the piston.  The result is bent valves and maybe even more damage to the cylinder head.  Repairs can run into several thousand dollars.

Timing belts just wear out naturally so you want to replace a worn belt before it slips or breaks.  Check your owner’s manual or with your service adviser at Express Car Care in Denver to see when they recommend you replace the timing belt.  If you’ve never replaced your timing belt and have 60,000 or more miles on the clock, talk with your service adviser right away to see if you’re due.

On some engines, the water pump is driven by the timing belt as opposed to the serpentine belt.  If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to replace the water pump when you’re replacing the timing belt, and vice versa since much of the same work has to be done for either.  The same is true for the timing belt tensioner – it should be inspected and possibly replaced.

Timing belt replacement is one of the more expensive routine maintenance items on your service schedule.  But not replacing your timing belt can lead to some of the most expensive repairs you’re likely to ever have.

Disc Brake Maintenance

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Disc Brake MaintenanceYour brakes are extremely important as you drive around Denver.  Having good brakes just keeps you out of trouble.  You’ll want to carefully maintain your brakes.  With disc brakes, brake pads rub on a disc – or rotor – to slow the wheels.  The brake pads are attached to a caliper that squeezes the pads against the rotor.  It’s kind of like how squeezing the handbrake on a bicycle pushes the brake pads against the wheel of the bike.

Now brake pads just wear away with use – like a pencil eraser wears out.  The good news is that replacing brake pads is a straight-forward repair.

If you hear squealing or grinding when you use the brakes, have your Express Car Care service adviser check them out.  He’ll have a technician perform a thorough brake inspection to see what needs to be done.  He’ll check for signs of brake problems and go over other brake components to see that they’re working properly.  He can tell you if it’s time to replace the pads or if there are other issues with your brakes that should be addressed.  Some people make the mistake of ignoring the warning signs and keep on driving long after the pads are completely worn out.  When that happens, metal brake components will grind on the rotor, damaging it enough that it needs to be resurfaced or replaced.

Rotors can also warp or crack, in which case they’ll need to be replaced.  Brake calipers also wear out over time.  They can develop leaks or the caliper pistons can freeze open or closed – either way it’s not good.  When this happens it’s time to replace the calipers.  A thorough brake inspection will reveal worn bearings or seals as well.

The new brake pads we put on your vehicle will restore your brakes to manufacturers’ specifications.  Or, we can install upgraded parts to increase your stopping power and reduce brake noise and brake dust.  We have several options to meet your braking requirements and your budget.

Taking care of your brakes keeps them working safely – and you could prevent premature brake repairs down the road.  At Express Car Care in Denver, we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks