Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Auto Maintenance – Safety, Reliability and Longevity

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For the average person, an automobile represents a large investment. Next to your house, it’s the one thing that you put out a lot of money for each month, and you rely on every single day of your life. It’s important to have safe, reliable transportation available to you when you need it most, whether its on a hot summer day, or the coldest winter morning on record.

Auto Maintenance - Safety, Reliability and Longevity

Regular maintenance ensures three things:

  • It ensures you have safe transportation for your family – and for your family friends when the are along for the ride.
  • In ensures you have reliable transportation that is there when you need it and doesn’t leave you stranded at the most inopportune times.
  • In ensures the longevity of your car, to make sure you get a superior product for as long as you choose to own your car.

Maintenance schedules can vary depending on the make and age of your car. Older cars will need more extensive maintenance to avoid problems; newer cars need the basics to maintain their efficiency. But in all cases, there are basics that can be handled on a routine basis.

Start at the bottom – your tires are the most important item to help your car run efficiently. Tires should be checked regularly to ensure they are properly filled. Too much or too little air can cause patterns in the tires, making them wear out quicker and potentially putting your safety at risk. Also rotate tires on a regular basis – manufacturers recommend around 5,000 miles – and maintain a pattern in the process. Typically the two front tires will be switched to the back, switching the tires that go to the back from left to right. Maintain this pattern throughout the life of your tires.

Oil changes should occur at the same frequency of tire rotation, or around every 5,000 miles or so. Constant improvements are being made to engine oil technology, making some engines to farther before maintenance is needed. Make sure you check with your vehicle guidelines to determine the best schedule for your car.

Do you have windshield wipers in both the front and back of your vehicle? Sitting out in all kinds of weather – heat and cold – can wear out your windshield wipers quickly. Likewise in our ever-changing road conditions, you may use windshield washer fluid at higher levels as we change from season to season. Keep an extra gallon at hand either in your garage, or in your car itself.

The older your car gets, the more “problems” may show up unexpectedly. Never assume your vehicle is in top shape if you don’t have a reliable mechanic working with you on a regular basis. If you’ll be traveling longer distances than normal – a road trip to see family in another state, or a ski weekend with the girls – bring it in for a checkup first. It can help you avoid unexpected and more costly problems at the least opportune times.

Car Maintenance To Make Your Old Car Like New Again

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It is no secret that times are hard. More and more people are watching what they spend and finding ways to save money. One major way people are saving money is by avoiding a new car purchase. Buying a new car means taking out a loan – unless you have the cold, hard cash and most people do not have that kind of money.

Car Maintenance To Make Your Old Car Like New AgainSo, instead of buying new, people are finding ways to take better care of their current car to extend its life. The maintenance is worth the money because more and more cars are staying on the highway well past 100,000 miles. Here are some tips to help you keep your current car rolling down the road.

  • Take care of your muffler, catalytic converter and oxygen sensors. When your check engine light comes on, that is your car’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Pay attention to what it is saying. If it is determined that you need a new oxygen sensor, go ahead and replace it. However, if the same problem keeps happening, it is time to replace the catalytic converter, muffler and the sensors. Your car will run smoother, have more power, and get better gas mileage. Let us check the condition of your car to ensure running longer. Express Car Care of Denver auto repair can help if you do break down.
  • Flush more than just your radiator. Everyone knows that a radiator system should be flushed. However, your power steering fluid and your brake fluid should also be flushed to get rid of any build-up that may have developed over time.
  • Have your air conditioning system cleaned and deodorized. This will help keep your system running efficiently and keep it from having an obnoxious odor (a common problem after several years of use).
  • Replace your ball joints and struts or shocks. Your car may not be exhibiting signs that those items need replaced, but when you start racking up the miles, it pays to prevent a problem, rather than wait for a problem to occur. Not only will you be riding in a safer car, your car will ride much better.
  • Have your wheels (not your tires) aligned or replaced. Over time, your wheels can wear down in spots. Having someone align them and fix all the areas of wear and tear will improve the ride.

What You Don’t Know About Your Air Conditioning System Maybe Hurting Your Car

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What You Don’t Know About Your Air Conditioning System Maybe Hurting Your Car

It’s a hot day. You jump in your car, turn on the air conditioning, and sit back waiting for a cool ride. But if all of your vents never cool down and continue blowing a hot stream of air, you’ll quickly find the only thing to do is to pull into your local auto repair shop.

There are a few things you should know about your A/C system long before the heat of the summer is upon us.

  • The old standby R-12 refrigerant – trade name DuPont Freon – has been replaced by R134a.
  • Never allow anyone to mix refrigerants – the two are not interchangeable. You cannot add R134a to your older air conditioner without flushing the system first.
  • Not every auto repair shop will offer you top quality service. In order for some car repair shops to save money, they substitute a volatile mix of propane, butane and flammable hydrocarbons.
  • If your car is leaking refrigerant, you’re damaging the ozone layer.
  • Your car should undergo an annual maintenance inspection every year to check on the condition of the A/C system. It is estimated you can lose as much as 20 to 30 percent charge over a two year period, meaning your A/C unit isn’t operating at full capacity.
  • By using your air conditioning system on a hot day, it does use more gas (not by much). But the alternative may be worse. If you roll down your windows, you are actually increasing wind resistance, which can add up to 10 percent to your fuel consumption, especially the faster you go.
  • If you see a puddle of water on the ground, don’t be alarmed. This is a normal function of the air conditioning system, and will continue to drip water from the air conditioning evaporator. The evaporator has a drain tube to allow the condensation from the evaporator to drain away from the vehicle.

The only way to keep your car in top shape year round is to have your car properly maintained and repaired on a regular basis. As the Colorado heat kicks into gear, head in for a complete checkup of your A/C system, and make sure its functioning at maximum efficiency.

The History Of The Car Computer

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If you own a car, chances are it is run and operated by a computer.

Cars of today are not the same as cars of previous generations. Technology has come so far and it has not missed the automobile industry. Car computers make many of today’s vehicles safer, faster and easier. If you have ever wondered about the computer in your car, you might be interested in its history. Car computers have come a long way since they first came into use in the ’80s.

Auto manufacturers began to experiment with car computers during the ’70s. At this time, the government began creating mandates related to a car’s emissions. It became clear that better control over the fueling system was needed. Efficiency began to take precedence over power and “muscle”.

Gas shortages led manufacturers to dabble with circuit boards that controlled timing and spark. In the early ’80s, they began trying a computer-controlled carburetor – but success was minimal. Manufacturers determined the answer was in fuel injection and that is the area they began to focus on.

During the ’90s, car computers were delegated more responsibilities beyond timing and fuel mixtures. They started to take over most of the electrical systems of a car, such as the climate control, the brakes and the dashboard gauges.

Today, car computers handle a huge assortment of systems within your car. Car computers not only handle many of your motor’s operations, they also take care of advanced climate control (remember how your car monitors the temperature of the cabin and adjusts the air flow accordingly), entertainment and communication devices, and navigation systems.

The average car computer has more power than an ’80s desktop computer – and the future is only looking brighter for these technological wonders.

Auto Repair – Chain or Independent?

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Owning an automobile is a responsibility. You have to maintain your vehicle to keep it in the best condition. You want to ensure that each time you drive your car, it gets you from point A to point B without trouble.

Neglect the maintenance on your car and it is more likely to break down. Even with the utmost care, a vehicle is still going to run into some sort of mechanical problem at some point during ownership. When you have to seek repairs, you have an important decision to make – a chain or an independent auto repair shop.

Taking a closer look at chain repair shops reveals advantages and disadvantages. Chain repair shops often offer special deals and values, such as value-priced oil changes. While you can get a good deal on these initial repairs, others might cost you more than you planned on. They bring you in with the low price deals on basic repairs, only to raise the prices on more detailed or complicated repairs. [Read more…]

How To Avoid Auto Repair Fraud

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Owning an automobile means being responsible for the upkeep and maintenance. If you neglect your car, your car will fail you – and most likely, it will fail at the most inopportune time.

Unless you are skilled in auto mechanics, you will need an auto repair technician to take care of maintenance and repairs. Unfortunately, auto repair strikes fear in many hearts, as there are some shady auto techs that only want to take your hard-earned money. While it may seem tough to find a fair and honest technician, we are here. The following tips will help you avoid being a victim of auto repair fraud.

If your car is still under warranty, head back to the dealer for repairs. Even a used car can come with some type of warranty – make sure you have a full understanding of the warranty and what it covers. [Read more…]

Changing Your Belts, Hoses, Fluids and Filters

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The best way to ensure that your auto stays in running condition is with proper maintenance. Preventing problems before they start will help you keep your car on the road, and will keep it in top shape to be reliable no matter what the conditions.

Oil – oil is the lifeblood of your automobile. If your oil is low, you need to add the additional fluid right away. Low levels can also be a sign of a possible problem, such as a leak. You should change the oil in your car every 3,000 miles. This will help keep your motor is tip-top shape for all of your driving needs. Make sure you change the oil filter each time you change the oil.
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Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

Auto Tips & Tricks