Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Express Car Care Serpentine Belt Service

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Express Car Care Serpentine Belt ServiceYour serpentine belt drives your alternator and air conditioning compressor.  The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in many Denver vehicles.  In some trucks, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt (in others it’s driven by the timing belt).  The radiator cooling fan on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt.  Some have separate electric motors.

Serpentine belts do a lot of work, but they’re tough and  can last for thousands of miles.  But just how long will they last?  That will vary for each individual Denver car.  Your manufacturer or Express Car Care technician will have a recommendation for when it should be changed, but it could need to be changed  sooner.  The good news is that a visual inspection can reveal if a belt is worn.

It’s often recommended that the tensioner pulley that keeps the belt at the proper tension be replaced along with the serpentine belt.  This pulley is mounted to the engine block with a spring loaded arm.

What are the warning signs that there’s a problem with the serpentine belt?  You may hear a squealing sound from under the hood when accelerating.  A loose belt might give you a slow, slapping sound.  But sometimes you aren’t given any warning at all.

So if you suspect a serpentine belt problem, or if it’s just been a while since it was last checked, ask your helpful Express Car Care service adviser to have it looked over.  No one wants to go though the hassle of being stranded by a serpentine belt breaking, especially at this time of year, so give us a call or come in and see us.

How To Save Gas in Denver

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How to Save Gas in DenverHigh gas prices have hit most of our budgets in the Denver area.  If increased fuel costs are consuming a bigger portion of your budget, you may be tempted to skimp in some other areas – like scheduled maintenance at Express Car Care in Denver.

According to news reports and industry studies, you’re not alone.  Nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn’t been done.  Some of these items are serious safety concerns, others are just more likely to affect the cost of operating your vehicle.

In this area, we can take a lesson from professional vehicle owners:  fleet owners and operators like trucking companies and delivery services.  Because their livelihood depends on it, they have gotten scheduled maintenance down to a science, and the last thing they skimp on is regular maintenance.

Why is that?  Well, for one thing they know that routine maintenance prevents expensive repairs and costly breakdowns.  They also know that a well-maintained vehicle uses less fuel.  For them, even a small decrease in fuel economy may mean not being profitable.

Here are some Express Car Care services that could potentially save you some gas in Denver:  Fuel system cleaning, transmission service, differential service, oil change, tune-up.

Ring any bells?  Is there at least one thing on the list that hasn’t been done for your vehicle?  Let’s suppose you chose to spend a hundred and fifty dollars and get caught up on some of these services and that they combine to improve your fuel economy by fifteen percent.  What would that mean to your pocketbook?  Well, the average personal vehicle is driven about 12,000 miles a year.  If you get 20 miles per gallon of gas, over the course of one year you would pay for the hundred and fifty dollars’ worth of service and save an additional $165,  if gas is at $3.50 a gallon.  If gas is $4.50, you would save $255 and you’d rack up $345  with gas at $5.50.

From this you can see that the more fuel costs, the more it pays to take care of your vehicle.  Some of us drive trucks for work or recreation – or want a large SUV for family needs.  A fifteen percent improvement in fuel economy can generate huge savings – $660 a year if gas is $4.50 a gallon.  Take a look at this table to see where you could save.

Gas Price       $3.50           $4.50        $5.50

10 MPG              480                660             840

20 MPG             165                255              345

30 MPG              60                  120              180

So catch up on those services you’ve been neglecting.  Talk with your Express Car Care adviser about your vehicles needs.  Get a couple down now and a couple next time.  Chances are you’ll save a lot of money on fuel this year – and a lot more on repairs in the years to come.

Express Car Care: Question on Your Water Pump

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Question on your Water PumpExpress Car Care Tech Question:  I was driving on the freeway in Colorado and my truck engine started to get hot.  I turned off my air conditioner and was able to drive about 80 miles to my meeting and then found a shop in Denver.  It turns out that my water pump was leaking.  It cost me hundreds of dollars to get it fixed.  What could I have done to avoid this?

Express Car Care Answer:  This guys’ story really did have a happy ending.  When you continue driving when your engine is overheating,  you run the risk of a catastrophic engine failure.  It really is a good idea to pull over and let your vehicle’s engine cool down before you drive again.  If you add water or coolant, be sure your engine is cool or you risk getting serious burns.

Now there is no way for auto owners to predict when their water pump will fail – they just wear out.  This guy’s water pump replacement was more expensive because his truck’s water pump is driven by  his timing belt.  That requires a lot of labor hours to get to the water pump and then put everything back on the engine.

A money saving tip from Express Car Care in Denver is:  If your water pump is driven by your timing belt – replace the pump when you have your scheduled timing belt replacement.  That way most of the work is already done and you don’t have to pay for it twice.

Check with your helpful Express Car Care service specialist about when your timing belt should be replaced so you can stay on top of it and hopefully avoid it breaking when you’re on the road.

Vehicle Maintenance Tips: Disc Brakes

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Disc Brake MaintenanceQuestion:  What are the signs that I need a brake job?

Express Car Care Answer:  Signs of brake problems often fall into one of two categories for Denver motorist:  making noise or a pulsation in the brake pedal.  Let’s start with the noise.  Most brake pads have an audible brake wear indicator.  This is a small piece of metal that rubs on your brake rotor when the brake pads are worn to the point they should be replaced.  The noise is a chirp or soft squeal.  This noise gives Denver drivers enough essential warning to get their brakes serviced while there is still enough brake pad left to enable you to stop safely.

Motorists who ignore the chirp commonly find that the sound changes to a grinding noise.  That is more serious.  It means that the friction material on your brake pad is worn away and metal parts of the brake are grinding against the rotor when you press on the brakes.  Obviously, this harmful metal-on-metal means that your brakes aren’t stopping very well.  It also means that your rotor is being damaged.  It may need to be resurfaced or even replaced.

Pedal pulsation is another noticeable problem.  When your rotor is not in perfect alignment, it pushes against the brake pads unevenly as you apply the brakes.  There could be a number of reasons for this.  The rotor and wheel hub may not be mating well, causing the rotor to be spinning out of vertical alignment.  This harmful misalignment can be caused by either the rotor or the hub, or a combination of the two.  If this issue persists, the rotor may even start to wear unevenly to the point that its thickness varies, causing an even more noticeable pulsation.  This uneven mating of the brake pad and the rotor when braking means less contact and it will curtail braking power.

Your service center or the team at Express Car Care in Denver can determine the cause of the harmful misalignment and remedy the trouble.

Either unusual brake noise or pedal pulsation are signs for Denver car owners that there are brake problems.  Motorists should have a tech at Express Car Care survey their brakes thoroughly and recommend any critical steps necessary to correct the issue.  A regular brake inspection is on every vehicle’s recommended list.  Ask your helpful service professional if it’s time for an important brake inspection.

 

 

 

Professional Auto Maintenance: Battery Upgrade

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Battery UpgradeWhen that car battery finally gives up the ghost and it’s time to replace it – quick Denver motorists have options.  First, let’s be clear that you should always get a replacement battery that meets or exceeds your vehicle manufacturer’s specifications.  But, you may have some essential special needs.  When they first put the battery into your vehicle at the factory, the auto maker had no idea where it would end up over its life or how YOU would use it as you drive.  That battery was chosen to meet the needs of a wide range of motorists.  Replacement time is a good opportunity to communicate with your professional auto technician about how you use your vehicle, so you can get just the right battery upgrade.

An obvious criterion is where you live – whether in Denver or somewhere else.  Cold starts require a lot of power from your battery.  The colder the climate, the more power needed.  This comes from a combination of cold sluggish oil and the slower chemical reaction within the battery itself when it is cold.  If this sounds like you, meet with your Express Car Care tech about a battery upgrade, something with more cold cranking amps.

The next consideration for Denver auto owners is reserve capacity.  This is the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has under a particular load.  If your driving is mostly short stop -and -go trips around Denver, your battery may not have time to fully recharge while driving.  You may need to tap into those reserves to get started again.  Also, modern vehicles have a lot of systems that are always on and draw on the battery.  Systems like the security system, remote sensors, and vehicle computers.  These combine with the electronic entertainment system, sensors, heated seats, and even chargers for phones, tablets, and computers and put a fairly high load on the battery.  Your Express Car Care auto maintenance professional can give you his thoughts on the reserve capacity you might need.

Most standard batteries are “wet-cell” meaning they are filled with liquid battery acid.  New Absorbed Gas Mat (AGM) batteries are “non-spillable” which makes them safer for motorist.  They also have a longer life span than wet-cell batteries.  Off-roader’s like these batteries because their performance isn’t affected by steep inclines and odd angles.  They are also well suited for RV and boat owners.

Lastly, an important consideration for car owners is warranty.  Premium batteries often come with a longer warranty.  Warranties are typically either full-replacement (the battery is replaced if it fails within the warranty period) or pro-rated (a partial credit is given for the failed battery depending on how far into the warranty period you are when it fails).

Your Express Car Care service professional can help you know how to decide which battery is right for you and your vehicle.

Denver: Have You Considered Synthetic Oil?

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Denver: Have Your Considered Synthetic Oil?After recently seeing an ad for synthetic oil in Denver and realizing I didn’t know much about it.  I asked my helpful Express Car Care service adviser for some background.  Basically the inside of your engine gets really hot because of friction from the moving parts and from burning fuel.  Oil lubricates the moving parts to keep them from getting too hot.

The problem begins when oil turns to sludge, which is kind of a thick jelly.  Sludge clogs up little passages so that the oil can’t protect parts of the engine.  So the two best ways for Denver car owners to prevent sludge build-up is to always change their oil on schedule, and to use synthetic oil.

Synthetic oil is much more resistant to becoming sludge than conventional oil.  My service specialist says it has the added benefit of lasting longer than conventional oil so the recommended change interval can be slightly longer.

The thing I think is cool is that synthetic oil is more slippery than conventional oil.  Regular oil molecules are long chains where synthetic oil molecules are rounder.  It’s like which is more slippery, a pile of pencils or a pile of marbles?  This means that synthetic oil does a better job of lubricating my engine so it doesn’t get as hot, or wear out as fast.

Using synthetic oil can help Denver motorist improve engine performance and help their engine last longer.  I’m really glad my service adviser filled me in on synthetic oil.  Maybe you should consider synthetic oil for your next oil change.  Give us a call at Express Car Care and let us help.

Transmission Service: Smooth Shifting in Denver

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Transmission Service: Smooth Shifting in DenverLet’s suppose you’re going to take some friends out on the boat for some water skiing on a beautiful lake for your last summer fling.  Of course, you get the boat ready, but what about your tow vehicle?

Think about it… heavy Denver traffic, hilly Colorado terrain.  Maybe some dirt roads-and it could be pretty hot.  And all the time you’ll be towing several thousand extra pounds around the Denver and surrounding areas.  That all adds up to a lot of severe strain on your transmission.  It’s going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears.  The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal.

Denver drivers need to make sure they have enough transmission fluid.  If it runs low, the transmission will run hotter and won’t have the protection it needs to cope with the added stress of towing.  Transmission fluid breaks down and gets dirty over time.  Whether your truck has an automatic or manual transmission, you need to have it serviced on schedule at Express Car Care to make sure it runs efficiently.

If you neglect your truck transmission too long, it can fail.  You really don’t want to pay for a major transmission repair even with the reasonable rates at Express Car Care.

Before you leave your home and head to the lake, bring your vehicle into Express Car Care for a trip inspection.  Your Express Car Care service technician will check your fluids, belts and hoses and let you know if your brakes are in good shape.   Don’t take a chance on spoiling an awesome vacation with a vehicle breakdown.

Air Conditioning Service

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Air Conditioning ServiceLet’s talk about air conditioning service and repair issues for the Denver CO area.  Most of us Denver drivers don’t give our air conditioning a second thought as long as it’s making cold air.  But it’s a complex and expensive system that we should be thinking about before it starts blowing out hot air.

The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains a special oil that lubricates and cools the A/C parts.  When refrigerant leaks out, your air conditioner won’t make cold air, and the parts don’t have enough oil to protect them, so they wear out faster than they should.  This is the reason it’s important to service the air conditioner as recommended by your service center.

Replacing old refrigerant has another benefit:  refrigerant tends to gather moisture and become corrosive.  That causes leaks in the system which can be expensive to repair.  Fresh refrigerant protects the air conditioning components and keeps the system operating at peak efficiency so it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep you cool.

Even with regular service air conditioning parts can just wear out.  Normal wear and tear eventually gets to all moving parts.  Addressing early problems can save on more extensive repairs down the road.  For instance, a common failure is the clutch that turns the compressor on and off.  If you can take care of a bad A/C clutch when it first starts having problems you may be able to save the compressor.  Wait too long and you’ll have to replace both.

Check your owner’s manual or ask your service adviser at Express Car Care for service recommendations.  And if you’re hearing strange sounds when your air condition turns on, or if it just isn’t as cold as it used to be, have us give it the once over and see what it’ll take to keep you cool.

Did you know the Federal Environmental Protection Agency regulates the type of refrigerant you can use in your air conditioner?  Your service technicians are current on EPA rules for properly removing and disposing of used refrigerant, protecting the environment while keeping you cool.

Simple Answers from Express Car Care: Differential Service

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Differential ServiceQuestion:  What is a differential and why do Denver auto owners need to have it serviced?

Express Car Care Answer:

First of all – your vehicle has a differential.  If it’s a rear wheel drive, your differential is on the back.  If it’s a front wheel drive, your differential is built into your transaxle (transmission).  Denver auto owners with all wheel drive or four wheel drives will have differentials in the front and rear and maybe in between.

When you are steering through a turn at an intersection in town, the wheels on the outside of the truck or car have to spin faster than the inside wheels because they have to travel a slightly longer distance through the curve.  The differential compensates for these speed differences between the wheels.

Because it is part of the vital equipment that transfers engine power to the wheels, the differential is working pretty hard.  Differential fluid – an especially heavy-duty oil – cools, lubricates and protects the differential.  It needs to be replaced on a schedule to remove metal shavings and other contaminants.  Note:  If you have a front wheel drive vehicle, replacing your transmission fluid takes care of your differential service needs.

Differentials have become increasingly sophisticated for Denver auto owners.  Rather than the simple mechanical devices of “the good old days”, they are more complicated and may actually be part of the key computer controlled stability system.  This means they are more costly, so it pays for drivers to have them serviced on schedule at Express Car Care in Denver to avoid premature wear.  Talk to your helpful Express Car Care technician.  At Express Care, we provide quality automotice service including air condition service, transmission service and tire rotation.

We install quality NAPA replacements parts.  To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com

Simple Answers from Express Car Care in Denver: Severe Service

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Simple Answers About Severe ServiceQuestion:  What is a severe service maintenance schedule? 

Express Car Care Answer:

When I was a kid, Sunday meant having a bath, getting dressed for church and then hanging up my Sunday clothes as soon as we got home.  Mom didn’t have to wash those clothes but once a month.  Now Saturdays were a different story entirely, catching lizards, splash contests in mud puddles and crawling through the bushes with GI Joe.  Those clothes went straight into the laundry basket.  My Sunday clothes – easy use.  My Saturday clothes – hard use.  They required a different laundry schedule.

Severe service maintenance schedules are kind of like that for auto owners in Denver.  “Normal” driving has a regular schedule; “hard” driving has a severe service schedule.  Service intervals are shorter on the severe schedule.

Most owner’s manuals will describe severe service as:  Stop and go driving, short trips, low speed driving, extreme hot or cold, dusty conditions, carrying heavy loads, and towing.

For most Denver residents, some “severe” driving can be a part of their everyday routine.  You can meet with your helpful Express Car Care tech about how you drive around the Denver area and see if your routine is closer to the regular or severe definitions and then adjust your service intervals for things like oil changes, transmission and cooling system services so they fit your needs.  Give us a call and let us help.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks