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Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

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Maintenance Tips For Making Your Car Last Longer

May 21, 2022 by Denver Express Car Care

Today’s car prices are creeping higher and higher. A recent survey showed the average sticker price has exceeded $47,000.

Investing that much money in a vehicle is a significant hit to your wallet. It’s not something you want to do on a regular basis. Protecting your investment could make a difference between a well functioning car for 100,000 miles, or pushing it to 200,000 miles and beyond. 

Maintenance tips to make your car last longer 

To make your car last longer, it requires regular maintenance to keep it working well. It doesn’t take a lot of work. Just common sense items that ensure it’ll keep working its best for years to come. 

Keep your car protected from the elements

Driving in Colorado can be tough on a vehicle. Winter brings sub-zero temperatures, ice and snow pelting the finish, and chemicals splashing up on the undercarriage from the messy streets. Summer brings intense heat, dust storms, and hail, pelting the finish. 

In order for a car to continue to run well, it has to look good too. A dirty finish is an indicator of caked on dirt, grime, and chemicals. All of that can rapidly deteriorate a car’s frame and body, and impact many of the systems that keep you safe. 

Maintenance Tips For Making Your Car Last Longer

Take the time to wash your car by hand. It keeps the paint intact and won’t scratch the finish. Wax the paint occasionally to ensure it stays protected from UV rays. 

Don’t forget the inside. Clean it out regularly to keep the seats looking their best. If you install mats on the floorboards, it’s easier to keep them clean. 

If possible, park in a garage. Parking indoors reduces exposure to harmful elements, and keeps your car looking and running better for the long run. 

Follow a maintenance schedule

To stay healthy, you schedule regular checkups with doctors and dentists. You eat quality food. You avoid harmful scenarios. 

Treat your car in a similar manner. Instead of waiting for a problem to arise, take action instead. If you haven’t thumbed through your owner’s manual, spend some time getting more familiar with your car’s systems. Manufacturers make suggestions on when to bring your vehicle in, and how often you should replace fluids and other parts. 

Instead of waiting for them to wear down, if you stick to a timetable for replacing items like a timing belt, spark plugs, or hoses, it prevents expensive repairs when things go wrong, and reduces the likelihood of you being caught off-guard. It reduces the chances of you being stranded by the side of the road.   

Change fluids frequently

Cars use a variety of fluids for lubrication and to ensure smooth operation. Some you’re used to changing and adding regularly – we’re programmed to replace motor oil every 3,000 miles. Others we may not think much about – when’s the last time you thought about transmission fluid? 

AAA surveyed auto repair shops and found that 88 percent of drivers missed brake fluid maintenance, and 35 percent are behind in motor oil changes. 

Fluids keep your vehicle operating well. Without fresh, clean fluid, it wears down, accumulates impurities, and allows debris to infiltrate the system. If you haven’t had a fluids check, or aren’t sure when many of them were last checked and replaced, a maintenance visit would be beneficial to ensure your vehicle is operating well.  

Say yes to an air filter

It’s easy to overlook the little tasks, but they often cause the biggest problems. 

Did you know your engine consumes a lot more air than gasoline? Its performance depends on a careful mix of airflow and fluid to ensure it works correctly no matter what you experience on the road. 

The air filter is designed to keep that airflow as clean as possible, keeping dirt and debris outside of the engine where it can wreak havoc over time. 

Your owner’s manual will suggest how often you should replace your air filter. Especially in situations where it may err on the side of being dirty, changing it more frequently will never hurt. 

Drive as if your car depends on it

We all get busy. We rush from home to work, trying to fit in as many errands as possible. It’s easy to forgo washing the car, push back on how frequently you change the oil, and allow stuff to pile up in the back seat. When you’re late, you push the accelerator to the floor, trying to make up for lost time. 

Yet driving your car like you’re in a road race is hard on your car. High speeds can put your braking system at risk as you pounce on the brakes, wear down your tires before their time, and impact the efficiency of your vehicle. Strong braking will rapidly deteriorate your brake pads. Coming to hard stops puts unnecessary wear and tear on your tires. And quick acceleration when your engine is cold can harm parts throughout the system. 

Practice better driving not only for the wear and tear of your vehicle, but also for the safety of you and your passengers. 

Fix the little problems

We’ve all heard a funny noise coming from somewhere in the engine compartment, and ignored it until we have “time.” That’s the fastest way to allow little issues to grow into big problems. 

Cars are designed with warning signals built into all major parts and systems to give you a chance to repair them before they increase in severity. Technology has made it easier with dashboard diagnostic icons that light up when sensors are alerted of a potential problem. When these lights illuminate, it’s a signal to pull in for servicing as quickly as you can. 

Rattles, squeaks, hums, bangs, and even smells are often signs of potential problems. Pay attention, and your car will thank you by providing a longer life. 

Following a few maintenance tips will make your car last longer

Being proactive means keeping your car in the best possible condition for as long as possible. 

The easiest way is to schedule maintenance visits regularly to ensure every system is working well. Notice noises and smells. Question if something doesn’t feel right about the way your car is operating. 

It’s the best way to ensure a long life for your vehicle. 

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Maintenance Tips, Make Car Last Longer

3 Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Car at Top Value

October 18, 2021 by Denver Express Car Care

We live in a disposable world. If something breaks, we throw it away. 

With modern electronics like cellphones, computers, and entertainment consoles, technology is almost out-of-date when we purchase the device. After a year or two, we start to look at the next release, finding all the bells and whistles too tempting to ignore. 

As much as modern day vehicles use technology to their advantage, it’s more difficult to think of your vehicle as a disposable item. When it costs tens of thousands of dollars, it’s more important to care for your vehicle rather than letting it run down. You can’t run and pick up the latest release from the store with the same ease as a smartphone. 

Today’s cars are expensive. Learning the most important maintenance tips will keep your vehicle running well for as long as you own it. Doing so will ensure you have reliable transportation, no matter what the weather is outside, no matter where your travels will take you each day. 

And when it’s time to trade in your vehicle for something new, you know it will hold its value. 

What is car value?

Value can take on a variety of meanings. But when most people think about car value, they think in monetary terms. Value becomes the estimate of how much the vehicle is worth. 

3 Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Car at Top Value

When a car is brand new, being sold from the dealer, it has a price tag that goes along with it. You may have a little wiggle room, but in most cases, you’ll pay somewhere around the sticker price. 

The value of the vehicle changes the moment you drive the car off the lot. If you do a search online, you’ll find a variety of resources that can help you determine how much your car is currently worth. Things to consider include:

  • Make and model
  • Year of production
  • Mileage
  • Condition
  • Where you live
  • Demand

It also depends on what type of transaction will occur. 

  • A trade-in value is what you can expect if you bring it to the dealer and hand over your current vehicle in order to make an offer on a different car. 
  • A private party value would be the amount an individual would be willing to pay for the car if you handle the transaction yourself. 
  • A BlueBook value would be the suggested retail price based on make, model, and year alone. 

Maintenance tips to ensure top dollar when you sell

If you want the highest trade-in value, or have a desire to sell your car for the highest possible price, maintenance will play a key role in helping you achieve your goal. With common sense maintenance tips, you’ll create an easy plan to ensure you achieve top dollar when it comes time to sell. 

Be kind to the engine

A car’s engine is arguably one of the most important components of today’s modern cars. Without it, you wouldn’t be able to go. Keeping it in good shape means it’s reliable and ready to move whenever you sit behind the wheel. 

Regular maintenance starts with motor oil changes. Most manufacturers suggest bringing your vehicle in for servicing every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. This ensures your engine is operating with clean oil, and gives mechanics a chance to check and determine if other components are in good working condition too. 

In between oil changes, don’t ignore other messages your vehicle might be sending you. Is your heater working in the winter, and your air conditioner operating well in the summer? If your car is struggling to produce proper temperatures, it could be a sign of deeper problems. 

Pay attention to what’s happening around your car. As you leave your parking space or garage, take a quick glance underneath as you drive away. Are there any leaks? Note the size of the puddle, the color, and if there are any unusual smells. An antifreeze leak will take on a lime-green, orange, pink, or blue-green color, and may have a sweet aroma after you’ve driven it. 

You should also refer to your owner manual frequently, and bring your car in for regular checkups to ensure all systems are working properly. Brakes, belts, spark plugs, and more can all last thousands of miles, but may eventually wear down to the point of causing problems with the way your vehicle drives and handles. Through regular inspections, you can catch potential issues before they escalate, leaving your car in better working condition throughout its life. Which in turn extends its life as well. 

Maintain the interior too

If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle driving around town, you might think of it as a second home. There’s a pile of papers on the floor, leftover food bags behind the seat. Gym bags in the trunk, and extra grocery bags piling up in the back. Over time, these things accumulate, attract dirt and dust, and can eventually impact the air you breathe. 

As this settles into the seats, dashboard, and floorboards, it can dull the interior of your car. If you ever hope to sell it, this will be difficult to correct, and lower the amount you can ask for the car. To keep your value high, take a few minutes each week to ensure the interior shines. 

Replace early

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Most of us take that approach to maintenance in every situation in our lives. 

Yet to keep your car running well and free from potential problems, staying ahead of maintenance items will ensure the best condition for your vehicle. Read your owner’s manual thoroughly. Pay attention to maintenance checks to perform at different mileage markers. And consider working with our service station on a regular basis. This will allow our mechanics to understand your car, make suggestions about routine maintenance items, and help you make the best decisions for keeping your car on the road in the best condition. You’ll save money by replacing things before they can escalate into larger issues. 

Keep your car in good working condition. Maintain the value of your car simply by staying ahead of maintenance items, ensuring your vehicle is always running at peak performance. 

What can we help you with today? 

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Maintenance Tips

Proactive Car Repair – Keeping Your Car In Working Condition

July 17, 2013 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Proactive Car Repair - Keeping Your Car In Working ConditionSome cars are fancy, some are not; but they all have one thing in common…they get us where we want to go. Unfortunately, we tend to underestimate the needs of the car until much too late. Sometimes this means we are stuck with a costly bill that could be avoided, and other times, this means we are stranded at the side of the road wondering what to do. If you want to keep your car in good working condition, start being proactive in your car repair needs.

Do a walk around – When it’s time to go, we typically run out to the car and jump in. If you really want to keep tabs on how your car is doing, take some time as you approach it to examine key aspects. Is there a puddle under your car that might indicate a leak? Are the tires all well inflated? Are the tire treads still good?

Perform regular, routine maintenance – Your car has regular needs from oil changes to fluid flushes. Be sure to keep track of what your car manufacturer recommends regarding maintenance of the vehicle. These regular checks are intended to catch problems before they start and before they become a huge expense.

Know your stopping power – Your brakes are one of the most important safety features on your car. The more frequently you use your vehicle, the more frequently you should have your brakes checked. Also, if you tend to do a lot of towing or similar rough riding in your vehicle, your brakes will be more susceptible to early failure.

Gage your battery – Your battery is essential to the functionality of your car, but unfortunately, it gives little or no warning when it is wearing out. Get your battery charge checked regularly to keep you informed regarding when you need to pull the plug and provide a new one.

Filed Under: Car Maintenance Tagged With: Battery, Brakes, Maintenance Tips

Simple Auto Repair and Maintenance Tips

March 2, 2012 by Denver Express Car Care Leave a Comment

Have you decided to keep your old car instead of buying a new one? You are not alone. Many people today are looking for ways to save. If your automobile is in great shape and only a few years old, it makes sense to avoid the monthly payments and the increased insurance premiums, and invest in a little auto repair and maintenance items instead.

One of the most important words in your car’s maintenance schedule can be summed up in one word … routine! You brush your teeth every evening for bed. You get your hair trimmed on a regular basis. Your auto maintenance should be just as routine.

Until it becomes a routine, it may be beneficial to mark it on the calendar. Schedule days to fit in with your normal routine; days when you can devote time to bringing your car in to a trusted auto mechanic – or do some of it yourself. Here is a list of regular auto maintenance items.

Monthly

 

Every month, check your brake, power steering, transmission, antifreeze and windshield washer fluids. While not all of these need to be changed each month, putting it into your routine can allow you to find problems before they turn into something more.

You should also check your tire pressure, and see if your head and tail lights are in working order. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Denver Auto Repair Tagged With: Auto Repair Shop, Maintenance Tips, Simple Auto Repair

Express Car Care
4200 E. Evans Ave. Denver, CO (map)
Phone: (303) 691-2760
Located just southeast of the Colorado Light Rail station

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Monday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Tuesday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Wednesday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Thursday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Friday: 8:00AM – 5:30PM
Saturday: Closed – A note from the owner
Sunday: Closed

Last car oil change time  – 5:00PM

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