The best place for tire alignment is a store that sells tires. They have the state if the art equipment to align your wheels and get that tread wearing evenly again. You’ll likely have a smoother ride, too.
Find the Best Place for Tire Alignment
The best place for tire alignment will be found by doing an Internet search for “wheel alignment” or “suspension repair,” but A1 Performance Auto Repair does them. A lot of people call it tire alignment, but it doesn’t have anything to do with tires. The machine will restore the suspension to what it should be and the wheels will be aligned.
How to Know You Need a Wheel Alignment
When your wheels squeal when you turn the car, that’s a pretty good sign your wheels are out of alignment. Also, there will be uneven wear on your tires and your car will have a strong pull to the right or left all the time.
Is Alignment a Maintenance Thing?
No, a wheel alignment is a repair, not a regular maintenance. This is something you do when you have your tires replaced and are told the tire wear was unusual. The mechanic will see that you’re having suspension problems by the look of the tire wear. He’ll suggest you have an alignment – either just a two wheel alignment or all four.
Sometimes, old worn out shocks or struts will cause problems that you’ll think it an issue with the alignment. But, once you invest in some new ones your shaky wheel and bouncing around after bumps in the road will be solved.
Where to Have This Repair
The best place for wheel alignment is A1 Performance Auto Repair. They will have all the equipment on hand to repair the suspension on your vehicle. They also sell shocks and struts.
One of the things that is usually not taught in Driver’s Ed is how to connect a car battery. It is a simple procedure, so it is quite easy to learn. Although, the easiest way is to purchase the battery at a big chain auto part stores and ask them to install it for you. They’ll usually do that for free. But, if you are up to getting your hands a little dirty, here is how it is done.
How to Connect a Car Battery
You will need a combination wrench or battery pliers to replace your battery. It is best if you do not use a screw driver to pry it off, because you’re likely to break the battery post.
Make sure your car is in park, ignition is off and open the hood.
Use your wrench to loosen the nut on the black battery terminal and wiggle it a little as you pull it off.
Do the same for the red battery terminal.
Remove the battery from the clamp that holds it down.
Grab the battery from the bottom and pull it out.
Clean up the battery tray and terminals with a baking soda and water paste. Wipe clean.
Place your new battery in the tray.
Secure the battery with the clamp.
Attach the red battery cable and tighten the nut that holds it on.
Attach the black battery cable and tighten the nut.
Make sure everything is tightened and secure. Try to move the battery to make sure it is secure in the clamp.
Close the hood and make sure it starts easily.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
If you’d like to stay clean and make sure you have the right battery and it’s properly installed, we’ll be happy to handle this dirty task for you at A1 Performance Auto Repair.
When you notice a car hose is ready to blow or it already has, it is usually easy to fix it yourself. There are good places buy one and there are better places to buy one.
Car Hose
When it is time to replace a car hose you can pick up a new one at the local auto parts store. Most cities have an O’Reilly Auto or AutoZone nearby your home, or where your car has broken down. They tend to be very helpful in the auto parts store. They’ll look up the make and model of your car in their gigantic parts bible and pick out the exact hose you need for your car.
The least expensive way to replace a hose is to do it yourself. Oddly enough, it can cost hundreds of dollars to replace radiator hoses. It will probably cost you less than $100. However, there is nothing like a real mechanic doing the work. If you have never replaced a hose before then you might or might not do it correctly, so it is worth the money to have your mechanic make the repair. Or at least have your mechanic check your work as soon as possible.
Here is a video that shows you exactly how to make the repair. However, if you are sitting on the side of the road with a blown hose right now, just call the A1 Performance Auto to tow you in for free (within 3 miles of the shop) and do the repair for you. If you’re home and want to take this on yourself, here is a video.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
If you replace the car hose by yourself and you’ve never done one before, have us check it out the next time you come in for an oil change. We’ll double check your installation.
Even if you learned how to hook up jumper cables when you were in Driver’s Education, you probably haven’t a clue as to how to do it right now. If you don’t use it then you lose it. So, here is a little primer to help you out if you are sitting in a car with a dead battery right now.
How to Hook Up Jumper Cables
First! If your car is trying to start then the battery is not dead. Jumping the car won’t change what’s going on. Your issue is going to need some expertise by someone who really knows cars. If your car does nothing when you turn the key then here is some info on how to hook up jumper cables to get your car started.
Put your friend’s car in front of yours with both front bumpers facing each other, leaving a little room for you to walk through. It is easier to do it this way than it is side by side, if you have the room.
Make sure both cars are shut off. Make sure you never let a jumper cable clamp touch another one.
Take the red jumper clamp and connect it to the positive battery post on the dead battery. The battery post has this + on it.
Connect the other red jumper clamp to the positive battery post to the good battery. It has the + on it.
Put the black jumper clamp on the good battery’s negative battery post. The battery post has the – on it.
Take the other black jumper clamp to the dead battery’s car and clamp it on a spot on the engine block or something metal under the hood that is not painted and is clean.
Start the car with the good battery and let it run for 3 minutes. Then start the dead battery car. It should start right up!
To take off the jumper cables, follow the instructions above in the reverse order.
The cost of roadside assistance can be fairly high if you choose the wrong company to help you. When you’re broken down on the side of the road, you have no time to shop around or be picky about whom you’re going to use. You just call anybody to get you and your vehicle to a safe place.
Cost of Roadside Assistance
You really need to plan ahead if you want to be able to save on the cost of roadside assistance. There are a few things you can do to head off the high costs of needing service when you’re stranded with a broken down car.
Insurance
The first and best option is to call your insurance agent. Your auto insurance policy will have an option for roadside assistance that is likely only $10 per 6 months or less. It really is the very best deal going.
AAA
The next best option is joining AAA. This is usually around $56 per year and gives you excellent roadside assistance. Plus, membership in AAA means that you will receive discounts at hotels and all sorts of entertainment venues and restaurants. They also have a locksmith service benefit for when you’ve lost your car keys.
Help for Your Broken Car
We hope these tips make it a lot easier and less costly for you when your car breaks down. Remember to stop by for your car maintenance to help prevent those breakdowns.
You would think you wouldn’t need instructions on how to wash a car. Isn’t it a no-brainer? No, it is a brainer. There are things that can really mess up a beautiful finish and things you can do that will make it look brand new again.
How to Wash a Car
The number one rule on how to wash a car is to wash your car with car wash products. If you use your dishwashing detergent on your car it’ll strip off your wax and anything else that is protecting your car’s gorgeous finish. So, it is well worth a trip to the auto parts store to pick up products designed for use on automobiles.
The Magic Crud Remover
There is a little item that you will want to always have on hand and that is a clay bar. If you run your hand over your paint and feel little bits of stuff then it is time for some heavy duty action. This little bar will remove all the wax from your car and return your paint job to the smooth beauty it once was by removing all the tree sap and dirt that is trapped there.
If after using the clay you notice a lot of little scratches and etching then it is time for one more step – rubbing compound. Rubbing compound can remove a lot of small, lighter issues with the paint that you thought were permanent. This could take up to 4 applications, so yeah, you’re now giving up your weekend.
The next step is to polish that beautiful car to bring out the very best in that now perfectly clean paint. Once the car looks brand new again, add your wax to protect it.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
We hope you find these How to Wash a Car tips helpful. Remember to check out our car maintenance coupons to save on your next oil change!
Cliff and his team are some of the best mechanics around. Minh always provides an awesome customer service. I brought my car for major service about two... read more
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Minh, Cliff, and everyone at A-1 are the best.
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