Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Severe Service Schedule

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Severe Service ScheduleSome of our customers at Express Car Care are surprised to learn that there are actually two service schedules for their vehicles.  One is the regular schedule and the other is the severe service schedule.

Let’s look at what the manufacturers say constitutes severe driving conditions, and let you draw your own conclusions:

  • Most of your trips are less than four miles
  • Most of your trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing
  • The engine is at low speed most of the time – not on the highway
  • You operate your vehicle in dusty areas
  • You regularly tow a trailer, carry heavy loads or a car-top carrier
  • Stop and go driving
  • Driving in very hot or very cold weather

So you can see that a lot has to do with how you drive, but some has to do with where you drive.  Some areas of the country will be more or less severe than it is here in Denver.

For many, normal driving includes elements of severe service driving.  So how do you know?  Picture a line with “regular” on one end and “severe” on the other, and make a judgment on where you fall.

If your regular oil change recommendation is 5,000 miles and the severe service recommendation is 3,000 -when should you change your oil?  For some, it’s closer to 3,000 miles.  For others, it’s closer to 5,000 miles.  Your service adviser will be happy to have this discussion with you and help you sort it out.

If you drive where the air is dusty or polluted, fluids will become contaminated and filters will get dirtier more quickly.

So make an honest evaluation of your driving conditions in and around Denver.  You’ve made the commitment to take care of your vehicles, so it only makes sense to follow the right schedule.

Give us a call for advice for your car based on our local Denver driving conditions.

 

Improve Fuel Economy

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Improve Fuel EconomyLet’s review some things that Denver residents 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 – and will keep saving you money after that.

A clean, well-maintained fuel system really pays big dividends for budget conscious Denver residents.  A clogged fuel filter wastes gas.  So does a dirty fuel system, grimy fuel injectors and plugged up PCV valves.  A fuel system service decreases the gas you use, and increases the power – so you can’t go wrong.

Some of us might ignore our check engine light.  But fixing the problem that caused the light to come on will usually improve fuel economy as well.

It may simply be time for a tune-up.  Tune-ups should improve your fuel economy as well as keeping your vehicle in good running condition.  Don’t overlook the routine maintenance items, like scheduled oil changes, transmission and cooling system service.  Dirty or low fluids actually use more fuel.  Just look at your recommended service intervals in the owner’s manual, or ask your helpful Express Car Care service adviser for the schedule.

Don’t overlook your tires.  Under-inflated tires waste gas because they don’t roll easily and cause the engine to use more fuel to turn them.

Check your gas cap to make sure it isn’t worn or doesn’t leak.

None of these things are very complicated or expensive and when you maintain your vehicle properly, you will improve fuel economy today and prevent repairs tomorrow.

Alternator Replacement

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Alternator ReplacementSome drivers have probably noticed a bunch of warning lights on their dash when they start their engine.  They flash on to test the circuits and then go off if everything’s OK.  One of the warning lights looks like a car battery.  Its job is to tell you if your vehicle’s battery isn’t charging properly.

Most motorists probably know that their battery stores electricity – enough to start the engine and get moving.  but that’s about it – you can only get a few miles on battery power alone.  You need an alternator to generate enough electricity to run your vehicle’s engine and power your electrical accessories, like the stereo, power seats, heater fan, on-board computers, and so on.  On top of that, the alternator needs to recharge your battery.  So when your alternator isn’t working, there isn’t going to be enough electricity for all of those things.  When your alternator fails, you aren’t going very far.

So why would your alternator not work?  Usually they’ve simple worn out.  Alternators are driven by your serpentine belt and spin 2 to 3 times faster than the engine – that’s a lot of work.  The bearings wear out, as do the copper wire coils and magnets that generate the electricity.

There’s no sense in hobbling along with an alternator that’s not working properly.  It will fail at some point and leave you stranded, then you’ll be wishing you would’ve had an alternator replacement sooner.  You need to get a bad alternator replaced as soon as you possible.  When you come to Express Car Care for an alternator replacement, someone knowledgeable will install an alternator that meets your specifications.  Some drivers use a lot of additional electrical products in their vehicles, like computers and DVD players.  Others may regularly tow a camping trailer that is putting extra pressure on its battery as they drive.  If that sounds like you, you’ll need to think about upgrading to a more heavy duty alternator.  Come in and let us help you figure it out.

Waiting On Vehicle Service?

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Waiting on Vehicle Service?Why do car owners hesitate to get their vehicles serviced?  A recent report stated that over 80% of the vehicles on the road have one or more services or repair needed, but haven’t taken care of them.  Now that’s a lot of undone service.  That translates into something over 160 million vehicles in the U.S. alone.  Some of the neglected items are minor, others are serious safety concerns.

There are several reasons why Denver drivers hesitate to take care of recommended services – especially services that are recommended by their service adviser when they’re in for another service, like an oil change.

The first issue boils down to comfort with car care.  Some drivers aren’t comfortable with their technicians and don’t feel they know enough to make good decisions.  And if drivers don’t know much themselves about cars, they hesitate to ask questions because they don’t want to seem ignorant.  That’s human nature.  But, there’s only so much we can know, we can’t all be experts in everything, so we specialize.  It’s very important to ask questions of any specialist, whether it’s your doctor, or automotive technician. Your technician values your questions.  He wants you to understand the recommendation and why it needs to be done.

That brings us to the next issue.  Folks say that they don’t always know if they really need the service or if they are just being sold something.  The heart of the issue is trust.  Do you trust your service center and advisor at Express Car Care?  Trust has to be earned and that takes time and experience, but you can shortcut the process when you realize that most of the recommendations are based on vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance schedules.  In other words, you don’t have to trust me, you can trust your owner’s manual.

Basically, the engineers who designed your vehicle say here’s when you need to have it serviced.  That’s who make the recommendation, not your service adviser, he’s just reminding you.

Drivers do need to trust their technicians experience and judgement from time to time though.  When he inspects your vehicle, he may find problems or concerns.  He will explain things so you can prioritize the concern and make a good decision about whether or not to have something done.

That brings us to the third issue.  Money.  Often the concern is about spending the money to take care of a recommended service.  We all have lists of things we either need, or want to spend our money on, and auto maintenance usually isn’t very high on that list.

When there is a real budget concern, your helpful service adviser can help you prioritize the work that needs to be done and come up with a plan for taking care of it that works with your budget.  There’s no need to keep waiting on your vehicle service.  Come in and see us.

Answers About Your Engine Air Filter

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Answers About Your Engine Air FilterQuestion:  What’s the harm in putting off replacing my engine air filter a little longer?

Express Car Care Answer:  That’s a fair question we hear from Denver drivers because the harm takes a while to manifest.  Let’s take a small step back and talk about what an engine air filter does.

The air around us contains dust, dirt, pollen, spores, etc.  Some areas and times of the year have more contaminants in the air.  The job of the air filter is to keep that stuff out of your engine.  The benefit to drivers is obvious!

Your engine uses a lot of air – 12,000 liters of air for every liter of fuel – so the engine air filter has a huge job to do.  When the air filter gets full and can’t hold anymore dirt, all that air still has to get to the engine, so the dirt gets forced through the filter too and heads on down to the engine.  The air flows passed the mass air flow (MAF) sensor on its way to the engine.  The MAF sensor tell the engine control computer how much air is coming so the computer can send the proper amount of fuel into the engine to maintain the correct air-to-fuel ratio.

When dirty air is flowing passed the filter, dirt starts to build up on the delicate MAF sensor elements causing incorrect air flow readings.  The computer then sends the wrong amount of fuel to the engine.  This can rob power from the engine, but the most harm comes from fuel that hasn’t been burned passing through the exhaust system and getting caught in the catalytic converter.  This leads to your catalytic converter failing.

A primary cause of catalytic converter failure is improper engine management, often triggered by a dirty MAF sensor which was contaminated because the engine air filter had not been replaced as recommended.  As a driver, you can buy cases of air filters for what it would cost to replace a catalytic converter.  So when it’s time to replace your engine air filter keep in mind the potential long term effects of putting it off.  Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable Express Car Care service adviser and let him help.

Cooling System Service

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Cooling System ServicePeople often ask questions about the cooling system – the system that cools your vehicle’s engine and keeps it at the proper operating temperature.  Let’s examine the topic in two areas:  First, the coolant itself and second, the parts that make up the cooling system.

The coolant is the mixture of water and antifreeze that circulates through the engine to draw off heat.  It’s important to have the proper amount because if you don’t have enough coolant it won’t be able to keep your engine cool.  You also need the right kind of coolant.  Different makes of vehicles require different coolant formulation to protect against corrosion.

Finally, your coolant needs to be fresh.  Over time and miles of driving, the anti-corrosion additives in the coolant are depleted and the coolant can actually start to eat away at the vehicle’s cooling system parts.  Your owner’s manual and Express Car Care adviser can help you with the recommended coolant replacement schedule and make sure you’re getting the right type of coolant.

Now let’s focus on the cooling system components.  These will all eventually wear out and need to be replaced.  Starting with the radiator, we see them coming into our shop with leaks or clogged with deposits.  Depending on the extent of the damage, at Express Car Care, we will clean, repair or replace.  We also see radiator pressure caps that can no longer hold the proper pressure.  We recommend replacing pressure caps when you change your coolant to avoid this problem.  We see leaky water pumps and hoses that need to be replaced.  there’s also a part called the thermostat that opens and closes to regulate the flow of coolant.  Sometimes they stick open or closed and the cooling system won’t work properly.

Engine damage from overheating can be very difficult and costly to fix so it’s important to maintain your cooling system properly with scheduled coolant replacement and periodic cooling system inspections.  Certainly come into Express Car Care if you suspect a leak and have us take a look.

Worn Shocks and Struts

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Worn Shocks and StrutsShocks and struts last a long time and wear out pretty slowly for most vehicles.  But let’s face it, they’re easy to take for granted.  Because your shocks and struts do a very important job we need to make sure we 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 it through turns, over bumps and every single stop.

When you have worn shocks and struts, your tires bounce excessively over  any bumps that may be in the road that we’re driving on.  Your vehicle will wallow through corners; your front-end will dive when you stop; and the rear-end of your vehicle will squat when you accelerate.  All these hurt your ability to safely control your vehicle.  Plus your ride just isn’t as comfortable.

Worn shocks and struts cause excessive tire wear, so you’ll need to replace your tires sooner than you would if they weren’t worn.  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 drivers – and 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’s 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 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 think you have worn shocks or struts and need new ones, let us help you take care of this important safety service.  You’ll feel better, and also save money on tires and other suspension repairs down the road.

Fall Checklist

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Fall ChecklistWe all have a Fall checklist of things we need to accomplish, whether it’s in our head, our phone or on paper.  But let’s make sure we don’t forget to put our car maintenance on that checklist.  Because without a proper running vehicle, it will be more difficult to accomplish the other things on our list.

If it’s been a while since you’ve had the oil in your car changed, Fall is a perfect time to do it.  Regular oil changes are a very important service to have on our Fall checklist.  Having clean oil in the engine helps keep your car running smoothly.

Our radiators should also be checked, they won’t last forever. Over time, they can break down and start corroding, which leads to cooling problems and a radiator repair.  Fall is a great time for a radiator flush, which is a quick and easy fix to avoid bigger problems later.  All it takes is about 30 minutes for us to drain and flush the entire cooling system, refill it with fresh anti-freeze/coolant, and check for leaks in the hoses, clamps and the radiator cap.

Check to see if your headlights and wiper blades are working.  Every day brings darkness to us a little bit earlier and good working headlights will light your path and keep you safe.  Replacing worn wiper blades and refilling the washer fluid will prepare you for those unexpected storms that can come in the Fall.  You might want to use snow blades now, since they are designed for better snow removal.

Last, but certainly not least, our Fall checklist needs to include a brake check.  No one wants to go through the terror of trying to stop suddenly and realizing the brakes aren’t working.  If you haven’t had your brakes checked in the last six months, now is the time to have it done.

Fall is a beautiful time in Colorado, but before you know it the leaves will be off the trees, and the snow will start falling.  So don’t be caught off-guard, get your vehicle ready now.

 

A Clean Fuel System

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FuelTank_1Hello drivers, today we’re going to talk about your fuel system.  The fuel system on your vehicle encompasses everything that it takes to get the fuel from your tank to your engine.  It starts with your fuel pump, which is located in the tank, then there are fuel lines, a fuel filter, a throttle assembly and fuel injectors.  When all of these parts in the fuel system are clean, fuel flows as it should and gives you a good and strong engine performance.  But when your fuel injectors, valves and fuel intake are clogged or gummed up, your engine doesn’t run as efficiently and its performance will suffer.

The fuel in our vehicles just naturally gums things up over time.  The government requires all fuel to have detergent in it to help clean the fuel system, but not all fuel is created equal.  Bargain fuel may just have the minimal amount of detergent to meet the government standards, so using a good quality fuel that may have several times the minimum amount of detergent will help you have a clean fuel system in your vehicle.

Sometimes, even if you’re using a quality fuel, your fuel system can still get too dirty and you’ll need a professional fuel system cleaning.  If your vehicle has lost some of its zip, or is sputtering a bit, it could be because of a dirty fuel system.  Your helpful and knowledgeable Express Car Care adviser can check it out and tell you if it’s time for a fuel system cleaning.

Give us a call if you have any questions.

Transmission Service

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Transmission ServiceAutomatic Transmissions have gotten more sophisticated in recent years for car owners.  Take the number of gears for starters:  The base is four speeds, five is very common.  Many manufacturers are using six speeds and several have seven or even eight speeds.  As you can imagine, this means more parts in your vehicle’s transmission.

Today’s transmissions are computer controlled.  Some high end transmissions have two or three computers.  Car owners are trusting that transmissions are engineered to last, but motorists need to understand that they are also engineered to tighter tolerances.  If a portion of the transmission is starved for lubrication, it can lead to failure.

This can happen if there isn’t enough fluid and also if the transmission fluid gets dirty or sludgy.  Small passages in the transmission can get clogged, then the lubricant is blocked and can’t get to all the parts to protect them, so they wear out prematurely.

Most newer vehicles require special transmission fluids and at Express Car Care we can make sure you get the type of fluid your manufacturer recommends.

As you can imagine, repairing one of these new transmissions can be quite costly at most auto repair shops.  That’s why manufacturers have a transmission service schedule for how often drivers should change the fluid and what type of fluid to use.  Come in and see us and let us help you with this or any other of your car’s service needs.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

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