Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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.

Visual Blind Spots When Driving Around Denver

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Visual Blind Spots When Driving Around DenverWhen we drive on our Denver streets, we encounter blind spots.  We can greatly reduce our blind spots by properly adjusting our mirrors to give the widest coverage possible.  Make the adjustments to your vehicle before you start to drive.

First, adjust your rear view mirror to give the best possible view directly to the rear of your truck or other vehicle type.  You don’t need it to get a better view of either side of the car, the kids in the back seat or your dazzling smile.  The rear view mirror should look to the rear.

Next, lean your head until it almost touches the driver’s side window.  Adjust your side mirror so that you can just barely see the side of your car.

Now, lean your head to the middle of the car and adjust the outside mirror so that you can barely see the right side of the car.

With your vehicle mirrors adjusted this way, you’ll have maximum coverage.  Of course, driving in Denver is a dynamic process – things change every second.  So it’s wise to take a quick look to the side when passing to make sure that another vehicle hasn’t moved into an area you couldn’t see in your mirrors.

As you drive in the Denver area, avoid staying in other driver’s blind spots.  You can’t count on them to be watching their mirrors and looking out for you.  Pass large trucks and buses on the left whenever possible.  A trucks’ blind spot is much larger on the right.

Be attentive and wear your seat belts, and thank you for reading!

 

Express Car Care Tech Question on Your Cooling System

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Tech Question on Your Cooling SystemExpress Car Care Tech Question:   I was driving down the freeway in my car and smoke started coming out from under the hood.  I pulled over and called my husband.  I had to be towed to my Denver mechanic.  He said my car had overheated.  What can I do to prevent that in the future?

Express Car Care Answer:  It sounds like you had a rough experience.  Unfortunately overheating is the most common engine failure for Denver motorist.  It’s also one of the easiest to prevent.

The basic idea is this:  you need to keep enough coolant/antifreeze flowing through your vehicle’s engine to keep it cool.  Problems come for Denver drivers when they develop leaks in their systems – like in the radiator or a hose – and the coolant leaks out.  Sometimes the coolant gets so contaminated that it blocks up the radiator so the coolant can’t get through.  If that happens enough you’ll end up broken down on the side of the road.

Your owner’s manual recommends a schedule for coolant replacement.  That’s because your coolant actually becomes corrosive over time and starts to eat away at the cooling system, causing leaks or blockages.  New coolant stops that process.

Ask your helpful Express Car Care technician about inspecting your vehicle’s cooling system for leaks, spongy hoses and other damage.  If it’s time to replace your coolant, hoses or other cooling system parts, have it done right away at Express Car Care in Denver.  Prevention is the key.

 

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

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.

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