Posts Tagged ‘smog test’

How maintenance records can affect your car

Sunday, August 16th, 2009
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One of the things that a lot of people are doing now is wanting the maintenace records when buying a used car.Most people are now wanting to see if a car they want to buy has a record of maintenance. Because you can be pretty sure that somebody who took care of their car, will have a car that will last longer. So when you have a car it is more important to keep good records.Because a lot of buyers will want to take a look at that.

So one of the things you want to make sure to do is to keep a receipt of all service you do for your car.  In my auto repair San Diego business I make sure to give all my clients a receipt of the work that was done.  Make sure whichever company you take your car into does the same.This may very well be the difference in selling it for the price you were after or selling it for less.

Also, when you have your car taken in for a tune up, don’t forget to keep a record of it.Getting your car tuned up regularly will allow your car to last longer and run smoother.It also is very helpful in getting your car to easily pass a smog check.  In my smog test San Diego center I notice cars that weren’t tuned up regularly are the ones that fail the test.

Finallly even for getting your brakes serviced you want to make sure to keep good records of that service.This is a big part of caring for your vehicle and its maintenance.  It is also something a potential buyer will look at.Because a new buyer definitely does not want to have to get an expensive brake job.  So in my San Diego brakes service I make sure to give a thorough report to all my clients.

Hopefully you see how important maintenance is if you want to sell your car for top dollar.Most buyers now want the car they are buying to be maintained.By taking care to keep all maintenance records you will be able to prove that you did maintain it.


Important points to car maintenance

Sunday, July 26th, 2009
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In this day and age everybody needs a car.A few people even need the use of planes.But for many people, the use of a car is critical to surviving.It is able to transport people to their jobs.It can take people when they need to go shopping.It transports people to their schools.  So what I would like to share is the 3 important parts of keeping your car in order.

This is from a perspective from my experience running a auto repair San Diego company.  The two areas I want to address is your safety and your car’s long term health. 

So in regards to safety you can classify all maintenance as being important to safety.  But one part of your car is really important to your safety.That part of the car is your brakes.With automobiles going much faster than they used to, good brakes are a must. With more and more people having so many distractions good brakes are a must.  By making sure you take care of them you will always be able to break in time.  Well taken care of brakes save lives and money.  I have seen it first hand running a San Diego brake shop.

In reference to keeping your car healthy the critical thing to remember is to keep your car maintained.Some of the critical things that have to be done are getting tune ups and oil changes. By making an effort to always change the oil you allow your car to run smoother and longer.By not always changing your oil you run the chance of ruining your engine.

Another important thing you have to do is make sure you get regular tune ups.If you can do that you will be able to keep your car’s important functions taken care of.By performing this step you will have a car that runs smoother and cleaner.If you are unable to do this your car will be running very badly.Some of the results that can happen are a failed smog check.  Most of the cars that fail in my smog test San Diego shop are the ones that didn’t take care of those things.

So in doing these few things what you accomplish is the safety of you and your loved ones and the safety of your car.


How to use your car to save money

Saturday, July 18th, 2009
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Today most Americans are trying to find ways to save more of their money.  With the way the economy is you can’t blame them.  They look at cutting expenses.  Maybe they go out less.They aren’t going out and buying things of no use.But what I would like to look at is a way that you probably haven’t thought too much about.  That way is in your car.

When most people think of their cars and saving money it usually involves saving gas.  They think of ways they can spend less on gas.But what I would like to point out that if your car is properly cared for you will save more in the long run.  I know this for a fact running my San Diego auto repair company. 

With a lot of cars people in general don’t think of doing maintenance. Unfortunately, when they do find themselves thinking about it, it is because it is too late.  They wait for something to go wrong or break down.  But from my experience waiting till that point makes the auto repair more expensive.

Your brakes let examine for instance.If you do proper maintenance with your brakes you are able to avoid expensive repairs.If you fail to, you are going to have disc brakes that will be expensive to repair.Or you might find the need to have the brake shoes replaced.By making sure that you use your brakes the right way and mainaining them you will save a lot of money.  So take it in to a brake shop like my San Diego brakes shop and you can find out if you need to do anything.Things like checking the brake fluid to make sure there is enough. 

Or a lot of people won’t take their cars for tuneups.  They let the engine go.They aren’t doing an oil change as much as they are supposed to. This leads to the engines running bad in your cars.So poorly that it isn’t going to pass a smog check.  From what I have seen running a San Diego smog check shop, if you fail a smog test, this can lead to expensive repairs just to get it to pass.

But if you do the proper maintenance you will keep your car running well.  The engine will run smoother and properly.Wait longer then you should and you will end up spending a lot more money then expected.

Hopefully this shows you that you can save money by maintaining your car. Spend your money now and you will end up spending less in the future.


How to improve the life of your car

Friday, July 10th, 2009
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It is a new day and time.  The economy has changed.With it, most Americans have less spending money today as they did before.In regards to the auto industry you are able to witness it.  With automakers constantly losing money, you know people aren’t buying big items as much anymore. 

With that as a thought, a lot of Americans will be forced into having to keep their car a much longer times.Planning to keep a car for the long haul will require maintenance.  The better you can take care of your car the longer it will last.  So I would like to offer a couple of tips from my experience owning a San Diego auto repair company.

One of the problems that gets overlooked alot is not keeping your car in good clean running order. Why does this matter?  Because if you don’t keep it running clean you could fail a smog test.If you are not able to pass a smog check this could lead to very expensive repairs.  I have seen this time and time again from doing San Diego smog check.

All you have to do is make sure you change the oil and oil filter regularly.Also be sure that you are able to get the car in for regular tuneups.

Second problem not looked after a lot is your brakes.You don’t really focus your attention on them.But all can agree that it is very important for the safety of all.  But if you don’t take care of them, they can be an expensive repair.  I should know having to charge my clients to replace their brakes at my San Diego brake shop.

Just make sure when you brake don’t be so rough on them. Be prepared for all your stops and then apply the brakes slowly.  Also make sure the brake fluids are enough.This can add up to a lot of money saved in repairs.

Do these few tips and you can be in for a lot of money saved in repairs.When you must keep the cars you own much longer, you will be happy that you did.


How to save more money in a used car

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
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Well the decade of wealth and exuberance is gone.For a lot of Americans excessive items like a new car is a thing of the past. Now when a family is in need of a new car they are forced to look into buying a used car.This is made clear by all of the finacial woes the big three car makers are experiencing.There sales have plummetted.

But most families will still need some sort of transportation.But when families are on a tight budget they have to go with a cheaper choice.That alternative choice is a used car. 

As a San Diego auto repair shop owner I am asked to inspect some of these used cars.Because when you have decided to buy that used car, you do not want to purchase a lemon.  So by getting a proper inspection done you can avoid costly problems.

So when you are examining the used cars, take in mind these 2 things to look for.First you will want to inspect the brakes.  We do San Diego brake in our shop.So I have seen firsthand that needing your brakes repaired is an expensive option.If you buy a used car where the brakes were not taken care of by the previous owner it can become expensive.The last thing you want to have to pay for is an entire braking system.  So make sure the brakes are good.

Second, you want to ensure that the car is running clean.Said another way, will it be able to pass a smog check.  In my business I do San Diego smog check.The last thing you are going to want is the purchase of a used car that needs some expensive repairs.  Especially if those repairs involve emission problems.

If you buy a car that is unable to pass a smog check, that won’t be good.It is an indicator that the car was not maintained.  Most likely they didn’t do oil changes or tuneups.These could be the start of a lot more problems in the future.

If you make sure to inspect these few items you can save yourself some money. By not inspecting you can lead yourself into some big repairs.  When you are trying to save money I am sure you don’t want that.


Why maintaining your vehicle saves you money

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
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In this economy to save money we need to use every possible way.  It doesn’t take much to see that many Americans are suffering in this economy.But instead of moaning about a lot of things, we can search out other ways to save money.

So I would like to offer some perspective from a San Diego auto repair owner.Now you may say to yourself that there will be bias but hear the argument first.After your reading of this you are going to see that it is sensible and money will be saved.

One of the ways we can save money is to keep our cars longer. In the height of this boom economy when everybody was benefiting people would just trade their cars all over the place. They just went and traded their cars went it was older.So the fact of the matter is a lot of people never thought of maintaining their car.

Well in the shape the economy is in, that is not a luxury for most people now.Most everyone will not be able to afford going out and buying a new car in these days.People now must keep the old ones longer.What that implies is they are going to have to keep up the maintenance of the cars.

One of the major items of maintenance is being certain you are able to pass a smog check.Once you have an older car it will be a required law.If you can’t pass the smog test that may cause very expensive repairs.  I know this first hand running my smog test San Diego shop. 

There are things you can do to make sure your car passes the test.You must keep you car tuned up always.  You can make sure to change the oil and oil filter.  You can make sure the muffler is in good working order. 

This is what causes you to lose money.  If you fail the smog test you could be in for a lot of money in repairs.  So by making sure you follow these maintenance procedures so you can save money.By putting in the time and effort in maintenance now will cause you to not have to spend on big repairs later.

Don’t forget to also maintain your brakes.  With my experience with our San Diego brake shop this is important as well. By ensuring that the brakes pads you have aren’t wworn down you can make your disc brakes last longer.  Not maintaining it can lead to expensive repairs.Listen to these instructions and you should save money.


Smog tests with Used Cars

Monday, June 22nd, 2009
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In the economy we are in, rather than purchasing a new vehicle, a lot of families are going to choose to buy a used car.

With that being the case, there will be a lot of issues concerning finances that go into place when making a used car purchase.

When I mention about the financial considerations, I am not only talking about the sales price.

When you are a family looking to save money the last thing you want to do is buy a used car with extra expenses you weren’t prepared for.Especially if your budget did not have those extra expenses in it.

So one of the big things you want to be aware of is smog checks.The last thing you probably did not want to do is make expensive repairs due to a failed smog test.  I have seen too many used cars in my San Diego auto repair business have this happen.

So when buying that used car here are some things to consider.

Under a 2005 law that was passed, if you have a 1976 vehcile or older, you will not have to ever take a smog check.So if your vehicle is newer than that your car will need to be tested based on state emission laws.You can search about your state by contacting the Bureau
of Automotive repair at (800) 952-5210.

If you live in California and are buying a used car you may need a San Diego smog check.If the car has been sold and registered in California for the first time, you will have to get a smog check.

Other than that, if it is in it’s 5th or 7th year you will need a biennial smog check performed.

If you made the car purchase in another state but live in California, you will have to find out if your vehicle can pass a smog test.California generally is going to be much stricter.

With that being the case, you want to keep that in mind when purchasing your vehicle.

Costs for a smog test San Diego generally run between $30 to $80.  But as mentioned above, that is not the big cost.The major costs will be if you need expensive repairs.

So when making the purchase of the used car, make an effort to find out if the car was able to pass a recent smog test.

You don’t want to get any unexpected expenses cropping up all over when the idea was to save money when you bought that used car.

Follow these pieces of advice when making a purchase of a used vehicle and a lot of money will be saved.