by Admin | Feb 20, 2018 | Auto Care Blog
There are so many choices when it comes to the cheapest roadside assistance and your insurance company tends to have a very cheap plan. But there is something that your insurance company doesn’t want you to know.
Cheapest Roadside Assistance
Your auto insurance company likely has the cheapest roadside assistance, running in cost around $6 to $14 per month. This sounds like quite the deal, until you find out that it might drive up your insurance rates if you ever use it.
The reason your rates will go up isn’t because you’ve had an accident and you’re calling for assistance. You could go out to your car in the morning and have a dead battery. So, you use your roadside assistance with your insurance company. Suddenly you see your insurance rate climb. You’ve had no tickets and no accidents. It makes no sense that your insurance is going up so rapidly.
Well, it does make sense. Your rate is climbing because you used your insurance policy’s roadside assistance plan. Insurance companies treat these calls as an ‘incident.’ Traffic tickets are also counted as an incident. Auto accidents are an incident. Having an incident sends your rates soaring.
How to Avoid Rate Increases
The best way to avoid your insurance rates going up when you use roadside assistance is to use a plan that is not connected to your insurance. Use AAA or another auto club that is not provided by an insurance company. And really, sometimes they are the cheapest roadside assistance plan. With an auto club you never have to worry about your rates being raised because you used the plan to get some roadside help when you needed it.
by Admin | Jan 26, 2018 | Auto Care Blog
If you enjoy saving several hundred dollars, this vehicle brake tip is for you. Once every year ask your auto mechanic to pull the wheel and take a look at your brake shoes to check the wear. It could save you hundreds of dollars in a huge repair.
When to Change Brake Shoes
If you hear a scraping sound all the time, it could be a broken brake shoe or a worn out brake shoe. Normally when a shoe is worn down it’ll make a scraping sound when you press the brake to stop.
When you hear a squeak sound coming from the drum brakes, it could be just a heavy layer of dust and dirt making that sound and the shoes are fine.
If you’ve noticed that your car doesn’t respond normally when you press the brake to stop, there could be more than just worn down brake shoes going on. The brake drums might be affected and you need to see your mechanic as soon as you can. Your car might not be safe to drive.
When your parking brake won’t hold anymore, it could mean that the brake shoes have worn down to a point where they need replacing. Have them checked as soon as it is convenient.
When the brake drum is damaged from worn out shoes or for another reason, you will need to replace the drums on each side of your car and the shoes, too. You’ll know the brake drum is toast when the back end of your car shimmies when you brake.
You can head off a costly repair by having the mechanic check your brake shoes at least once a year when he changes the oil. Catching the worn out shoe early will save you hundreds of dollars in drum replacements. Stop by A1 Performance Auto Repair to have your drum shoe wear checked.
by Admin | Jan 20, 2018 | Auto Care Blog
When you’re having a hard time staying on the road due to a tremendous amount of bouncing around every time you hit a pothole, it might be time to have your shocks replaced. But something else might be causing the problem instead.
Shocks
When you hit a bump in the road or a pothole, which is sort of the opposite of a bump in the road, the first things that spring into action are the springs. They compress to keep your head from hitting the roof of the car. Immediately after that the shock absorbers absorb the bouncing around your car needs to do. If all is perfect under the car with these parts then you have a smooth ride. If things are not in perfect working order, you are being bounced all over the place.
Shocks do wear out over time. There are only so many bounces it is going to take for you. How long they last depends on your typical road condition, the quality of your shocks and how you drive. So, you really need to know the signs.
Bouncing
A crazy amount of bouncing around means the shocks are toast.
Noises
Sometimes worn out or broken shocks make a lot of noises when you hit a pothole or rippled dirt road.
Lopsided Car
A car that looks lopsided on one tire might have a broken spring. You should probably have that looked at right away.
Bottomed Out
If you bottom out when you go over railroad tracks, that’s a pretty good sign your shocks are shot.
What to Do
If you suspect a spring is broken or your shocks are worn out, stop by A1 Performance Auto Repair. We’ll get your car fixed up. Do check our Deals Page before you come in. We just might be having a special!
by Admin | Jan 13, 2018 | Auto Care Blog
Is your car ready for an oil change in 3,000 miles or in 5,000 or 10,000 miles? It depends. Everyone takes for granted that it is due when the Lube place tells you it is – in 3,000 miles. But that might not be true for your car.
Oil Change
How many miles you should get between oil changes varies greatly depending on many factors. The first oil change you get should be right away, maybe at 500 – 1,000 miles as your engine is breaking in. There could be debris in the engine that could damage the engine, so it is best to err on the side of caution and change the oil very early. After that, there are some surprising mileage suggestions.
For the 2018 Honda Civic Coupe and the Kia Sorento, it is recommend to change the engine oil every 7,500 miles. For the Audi and Mercedes, the recommendation is 10,000 miles after the first change. So, when should you change the oil on your car? The answer is close by.
To find out when to change your oil, open the car manual. Yes, the little book that came with the car is more than tradition. It actually has a purpose. And they usually don’t offer it in digital. Inside the car’s manual it will tell you how often to get an oil change and it is usually not the number that the lube place tells you it is.
There are exceptions, however. If you drive in start and stop traffic all day, every day, like in Los Angeles freeway traffic, then you’ll probably need to change it more often. Driving on dirt roads all the time is something that will require 3,000 mile oil changes. So, check your manual, think about your driving conditions and you decide how often you need an oil change.
by Admin | Dec 19, 2017 | Auto Care Blog
The best towing service is A1 Performance Auto Repair in Sunnyvale, CA. They are the best because they are free! Yay! See the information on this free towing service below.
Best Towing Service
To use the best towing service in Sunnyvale, just call 408-530-0089. A1 Performance Auto Repair will tow your car or truck into the shop for free, providing you are within 3 miles of the shop. If you are farther away, we’ll still tow you in, but we will have to charge a fee for that service.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
A1 Performance Auto Repair handles all makes and models of cars, both gasoline and diesel. We do your vehicle’s regular maintenance and can handle all types of repairs, from replacing tires to major engine overhaul.
We want to make sure you have the easiest possible experience when your car needs repair. We will shuttle you to and from your nearby office or home when you need to leave your car for the day or overnight. We make your convenience a priority.
Auto Maintenance Coupons and Deals
It is always a good idea to keep an eye on our Deals page. We will add a collection of new coupons and deals to that page periodically. You should sign-up for our mailing list so you’ll receive an email every time we update. Also, as an added bonus, we give away a $50 Amazon Gift Card to a random mailing list member once every couple of months! You could be the next big winner! Subscribe to the mailing list here.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
We hope you enjoy the Best Towing Service that we offer for free. We appreciate our customers very much and give back every way we can.
by Admin | Dec 5, 2017 | Auto Care Blog
Transmission repair can be a costly repair, so if you’re shopping for a used car it should be something to look for. It usually isn’t worth the expense and hassle at any price, so it is best to avoid a car that needs one. So, when you’re test driving, here are some things that will indicate a possible transmission problem.
Transmission Repair
There are a lot of signs a car might need a transmission repair. Some of these signs can also indicate other issues, also, so it isn’t always a sure thing. But you will need to check it out before buying the car.
Burning Smell
If you notice a light to severe burning smell then it could be the transmission fluid burning. That fluid should smell a little tart or sweet when it is OK. If it is burning then it could get serious very quickly. Likely it’ll need a complete rebuild.
Red Leak
Transmission fluid is a red color. If you look under the car and there are drops or puddles of red fluid, that is likely transmission fluid. You should check the car’s transmission fluid before buying whether you see a leak or not. It should always be full. If it is low then there is a leak. Numerous issues can cause a leak.
Delayed Engagement
If the car has a delay shifting into gear, this is a transmission problem usually. So, if the car is revving and you’re not going anywhere, there is a transmission problem.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
We hope you find the car you’ve always wanted to have. We are here to check the car over for a small fee, if you want the best expert opinion on the car’s mechanical condition. Happy shopping!
