How to avoid a “Check Engine” light, #1. Don’t fill your tank to the neck. The Evaporative Emission (EVAP) system on your car handles the vapors from the gas tank and provides a vent for it. It can’t handle liquid. Consistently over-filling your car can damage the EVAP system, setting a “Check Engine” light. EVAP codes can be some of the most difficult to repair on some cars and often cost a lot of money. If you’re paying with a credit card, what difference does it make if you click it until you get even money for the purchase? Slow the flow as the tank gets full and let it click off. Maybe one more to be sure, but stop the pump, already. Need a “shot of freon?” A few warm afternoons causing you to think your car AC needs to be serviced? An AC is a heat exchanger. In order to properly test OR SERVICE IT, the outside air temperature should be 75 deg. F or higher. Hold off getting anything done to it until daytime highs are in that range. There are plenty of places that will probably take your money and promise to “add a shot” of freon to it. That’s a terrible idea, since the exact right amount can only really be determined by system pressures. These pressures fluctuate with, you guessed it, outside air temperatures. Sometimes, the lowest cost service is the one who doesn’t always readily take your money. We think doing it right is the most important part of service. Besides, when we do it right, you get the coldest air and that’s what really matters when it gets hot outside. 3 fast, easy checks for pothole damage that you can do. First, at low speeds of 10 to 15 mph, take your eyes off your texting for a moment 🙂 and watch your steering wheel. If it has a rhythmic wobble, you may have a tire or wheel problem. Next, look to see if your steering wheel is reasonably centered while driving down a smooth, flat road (if you can find one). 🙂 Then, see if the car wants to go straight with very little correction from you. If you see any of these issues first, air up the tires. A low tire can cause any of these. If that doesn’t fix it, call us. You may have a tire failure in the making. We’ll keep you going and make sure you’re safe. Share this with friends. Most cars can take quite a pounding from potholes without any damage. Don’t worry to excess. Get your car into us for regular checks. Twice a year is normally all most cars need to be safe and reliable. When should a Honda or Toyota timing belt be replaced? We are frequently asked if we can inspect a timing belt to see how it’s doing. While it seems like a reasonable question, timing belts don’t show their age visibly. A timing belt failure doesn’t predict itself by making noises or changing the way the car drives. Based on conditions in Lincoln, Nebraska, it seems as though 100,000 miles is a reasonable timing belt life on a Honda or Toyota. Other makes of cars have different expectations, which is one reason we’ve chosen to be experts in only Honda and Toyota. So, you don’t drive much, how long should you wait? About 6 years is the generally accepted standard for safe timing belt service for most Honda or Toyota products. What else should be done at that time? The timing belt must be removed on most imports in order to access the water pump, so it only makes sense to replace the water pump with each belt service. The tensioners and idler bearings also are a good idea, as failure of any of those damages the belt. We’ve found that using premium motor oils allows the engine oil seals to stay soft nearly forever, so we haven’t found the need to change those. The external drive belts must be removed to do the job, so the package should include those, as well. Done right, this is one job that should last another 6 years or 100,000 miles. Call us for prices and availability, we’re your best choice for import auto service in Lincoln, NE and surrounding towns. The future of gas prices Gas is under 2 bucks now, but one industry expert predicts $5 gas isn’t far away. Moral of the story: Buying a vehicle is a long-term decision, the price of fuel is a short-term value. One car dealer reported that they were only selling large vehicles and the small, fuel efficient models were languishing on the lot. So, if you want a small one, now might be a good time to buy. If you want a huge vehicle, wait 6 months to a year. Clean, used guzzlers might be plentiful and cheap to acquire. Toyota sales have been up substantially, while sales of the Prius have dropped. One article compared the upfront cost of buying a Prius to a similarly equipped, gas powered Chevy Cruze. At $2 a gallon, the article concluded that it would take 28 years of driving to break even, compared to the overall costs of the Cruze. Naturally, there are many more things to consider when comparing the two vehicles. But, we digress… Low priced fuel should be considered a temporary windfall. When it comes to pure economics, keeping the car you have a few more years can pay off big. We help you do just that. Call us today and schedule a “day at the spa” for your car or maybe just an overall objective mechanical inspection.