Willow Glen Auto Repair

You might be thinking, as I was when I first read this, what on earth!! This is just another gimmick devised by auto shops to market to the uninformed or gullible! (and I work for an auto shop!) So I started to read on and found out that yes, in actuality there is such a thing and it was (is) formed by an actual legitimate organization. A not-for-profit in fact! Their goal is car care awareness. So you might be thinking, “I’m aware! If my car starts everything is good, and when it doesn’t, well I’ll figure that out.” Don’t worry, I understand. Car care is about as high on my list as cleaning my refrigerator coils. Let’s face it I would much rather spend my money on a new pair of shoes than an oil change! However, I would also much rather go on a vacation than HAVE to spend that money, replacing my transmission! So there is a balance…. National Car Care Month is about that balance, learning preventative care for your vehicle so you can afford the shoes and the vacation. It’s allowing ... read more

With Warm weather FINALLY approaching us in Northern CA, ( I know we are big babies) its time to start thinking about Air Conditioning…. A common misunderstanding or mistake for a customer to make is that there is a connection between the air conditioning system and the coolant system. First of all, they are two separate systems. In simplest terms, the coolant system cools your vehicles engine and the air conditioning cools you. With that said – if your auto repair shop is checking your coolant do not assume they are checking your air conditioning or anything related to it. For the most part these systems are separate of each other. The Air Conditioning system uses a refridgerant most often referred to as freon to keep the air conditioning system cold. Most A/C repairs are best left to a repair shop. Recharging the refrigerant, in particular, requires special equipment that most people don’t own. On the other hand, adding coolant, or anti-freeze is simple enough to do on yo ... read more

Gas prices are going crazy! UP, UP and Up it seems and always before summer time, when we tend to travel more! So what can you do to get better mileage on a tank of gas? Well first of all keeping up with your car’s repair and maintenace. A tune-up, proper tire pressure and a clean air filter all help. But did you know that your driving habits can have as much or more of an affect on how much gas you burn? By changing your behavior behind the wheel, you can do the environment and your pocket-booka few favors. Accelerate more gradually. No more “Pedal to the Metal”! The harder you press the gas pedal the more juice you’re pouring down the hole. Anticipate stops. By keeping an eye ahead of you by half a block or so, you can see a light changing red and take your foot off the gas earlier. This does not mean you need to create a driving hazard but give yourself some time and don’t be in such a hurry. (its good for your heart too!) By coasting i ... read more

How in the world do you know when you “need” or “have” to replace your tires. If you’re like me, you depend on your auto repair shop or mechanic to tell you “when”. Or if your like me, you don’t want to spend money on something so ugly (yet necessary) as tires! Well, good tires can save you money and your life. Hm mm, well I guess those are my two favorite reasons to do most things. So here’s the scoop….driving on worn-out or low-grade tires is dangerous. It is estimated by the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration that more than 400,000 fatalities and 10,000 injuries occur each year due to tire failure. Although your own death would be horrible, the death of another due to your lack of attention is worse. If your tire blows out on the road and you spin out, in say 6 lanes of traffic…..Yikes! The damage to your car and/or others around you could be devastating. (you know those center divides are made of concrete) In addition, tires that have low tread and/o ... read more

Ok, so I know this may seem like an oxymoron. Like the two do not go, but that is further from the truth. Woman are in a need to know category. They know a ton about all the things they need to know, enough to make them dangerous! Woman HAVE to know something or a lot about almost everything in this world. They function in so many levels of society, moving quickly and discreetly from one responsibility to the next, often assuming the role of the ever present and ever focused. It’s a gift really an ability to function rationally an emotionally. OK, these are generalizations but you get the point. However, when it comes to auto repair we have to be aware of the stealth and knowledge. Woman make up an estimated 60% – 80% of the automotive customer base. That is huge. So in response we need to be considerate of them and their perceptions. Woman are concerned with the organization and cleanliness of a place and their customer service. While men are most concerned with the ... read more