by A1performance123 | Nov 3, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
Here are some jokes about mechanics Billy Bob and Bud to brighten your day!
Our favorite mechanic, Billy Bob, was putting down the road out in the middle of nowhere when Bud came tooling up the in the other direction. As Bud passed by Billy Bob, Billy Bob yelled, “PIG!” at Bud. Bud was confused. He’d never even met Billy Bob before. Then Bud slammed into the pig.
Billy Bob was running errands in Sunnyvale one day and saw Bud hitchhiking on the side of the road. So, Billy Bob stopped and picked him up.
“Where ya headed?” asked Billy Bob.
“Up to the courthouse to pay a ticket,” replied Bud. “What ya got in the bag there?”
“It is a new laptop that I got for my teenage son,” said Billy Bob.
“Good trade,” said Bud.
Bud had way too much to drink at the party. His friends insisted on driving him home, but Bud wouldn’t have it. He got in his car and started his way home.
About half way there the cops pulled him over for going all over the road. The cop asked for his driver’s license and registration and he gave them to him. They asked him to step outside of the car.
Bud stunk of alcohol and was having trouble standing. The cop asked if he’d been drinking and Bud replied, “Certainly!”
Just as the cop reached into his car, a call came in about a robbery two blocks away. They told Bud to stay where he is. Then said they’d be back and they took off running to the robbery.
Bud drove home and slipped into bed. There was a knock at the door. The police found him from the address on his driver’s license.
“I’ve been home all night, officer, that wasn’t me!”
They asked to see his car, so Bud took the police into his garage. There was their police cruiser with the lights still flashing.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these jokes about Billy Bob and Bud, mechanics who always seem to have an interesting time of it.
by A1performance123 | Oct 27, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
Your car needs a transmission, of course. But, do you choose a manual or automatic? Which is the better one to buy?
Transmission
You need to decide if you would rather shift those gears yourself or have the car do it for you. This is a little more difficult of a decision with a brand new car than it is when shopping for an old, used car. The older the car, the more you’re going to want that one extra way to start the car. Pushing it to get it going again is very convenient when you have a stick transmission.
So, you’re shopping for a brand new car. Decisions, decisions. The manual shift transmission is always going to cost less, so that’s a plus. You can save upward of $2,000 with the stick shift. You can hear those virtual pennies drop into the piggy bank in your mind with every shift of the gears.
If you’re always fidgeting while driving, grabbing your phone, putting on make-up at red lights and constantly changing to new satellite radio stations, you might want to go with the automatic transmission. The first clue might be that people honk at you when the light turns green, because you are not in gear and ready to speed off at that nanosecond of a green light. Another sign that automatic is for you is when the car is chugging, gasping and almost at a stall, because you always find yourself going 25mph in 4th gear.
Check It Out
When you’re considering purchasing a particular car, drop by A1 Performance Auto Repair before you buy it. We’ll give it the once over and make sure that transmission is not showing signs of failure. We want to make sure that whether you choose automatic or manual, you’re getting a great car for the money.
by A1performance123 | Oct 13, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
Fall car care tips for this autumn include preparing for rain in the Bay Area. Some weather experts are predicting an end to La Nina, which means finally some nice rain will be on the way. With rain, comes certain car concerns.
Fall Car Care Tips
Tires are one of those things you rarely think about until one of them blows out. Without cold weather and a lot of rain to remind you, you might have worn out your tires and don’t yet realize it. When you are going to hit wet roads, you need good tread to keep your wheels on the road and out of the ditch or worse. So, the first task on the fall car care tips list is to have your tires checked.
It isn’t enough to check the tire tread yourself. Your tires could be rotting from the inside and they are all working together plotting a disaster for you. You will need to have them checked by a professional. The less you paid for the tires, the more important this task is.
Windshield wiper blades are another thing everyone loves to put off. They are not that expensive, so they should be replaced every year or two. Make it a point to ask the mechanic at A1 Performance Auto Repair to replace them the next time you are in for an oil change.
Your average driver doesn’t know what it feels like to have worn out brakes. They might make a weird sound, but most often they do not. Around the Bay Area it is easy to wear out your brakes from going down steep hills often. Every year you should have your brakes examined by your mechanic. If you have never had your brakes checked then put it on this year’s fall car care tips to do list.
by A1performance123 | Sep 22, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
The smog abatement fee in California saves you a lot of time, trouble and money. This is the fee that you pay instead of getting your car smogged. But, do you qualify for this program?
Smog Abatement Fee
In most cities in California you are required to provide a smog certificate once every other year to the DMV. However, if your car is 6 years old or less then the state of California assumes that your car is going to pass the smog certification test. For these cars you will pay a smog abatement fee of $20 for each year for the first six years.
The fee that you pay to skip getting that smog certification might or might not save you money, depending on the smog price for your car. If your cost is only $35.00 for your car every other year then you’d save money just getting the smog. However, it is a hassle to have done and most people would rather just pay the yearly fee with their registration. Additionally, if an adjustment should need to be made to your car for some reason, of course that costs an additional charge. With the abatement program, you avoid having to deal with that.
You don’t have to worry about knowing when you will have to start getting those certificates again. Your car’s registration renewal notice will have a notice on it letting you know that you will need to get one that year.
Where Smog Certificates Happen
When your car gets a little older and a little more tired out, the smog abatement fee will no longer be an option for you. You will need to start taking your car in to get a smog certification every other year. If your registration renewal says it is that time, stop by A1 Performance Auto Repair. We often have specials for smog certification to save you a little cash.
by A1performance123 | May 18, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
Car battery care tips for new cars are pretty much common sense. If you’re driving with a new battery then you’ll only have an occasional problem like when you leave an interior light on all night. But if your car is several years old then car battery problems can be frequent and you need to do some maintenance.
Car Battery Care Tips
If you aren’t up to monkeying around with your car, then you can pay the road rescue fee on your insurance. One phone call will have someone come to your rescue right away and usually the cost for this is less than $30 per year. Car battery care tips aren’t for you. That upgrade on your insurance or AAA membership is totally worth it.
When you have a car that is three years old or more and enjoy doing a little tinkering here and there, there are some car battery care tips you should follow. First, keep your battery clean. Knock lose any built up acid on the terminals or cables. If the cables are worn and showing wire then have them replaced right away.
Avoid driving in the desert frequently in the summertime. You will wear your battery out quickly when you need to run the air conditioning full blast as soon as you get into the car. If it is over 100 degrees outside you’ll need the air to run constantly, especially in stop and go traffic. When driving like this is a necessity every day, spend the big bucks for a maintenance-free battery with a 3-year warranty. Keep the receipt in the glovebox with your car’s manual. When the battery wears out sooner than that, return it for a new one.
A1 Performance Auto Repair
Some simple maintenance can give you an extended battery life. But, sometimes living in the desert can create an intolerable situation for your battery. The best car battery care tips in that case is to buy a top of the line battery that has a great warranty from A1 Performance Auto Repair.
by A1performance123 | Mar 16, 2016 | Auto Care Blog
Vehicle service and warranties come with your brand new car, and even many used cars. But when that warranty runs out a company will call you up and tell you that you should purchase a contract to extend your warranty in a service contract. Lots of promises are made about covering repairs, too. So, should you buy it?
Vehicle Service
The Better Business Bureau says you should definitely not buy the vehicle service contract, also known as the extended warranty. They get an amazing number of complaints about these contracts. Consumers file complaints against these companies for misleading advertising, failure to pay for covered repairs, and going out of business and abandoning them.
These contracts for vehicle service can cost thousands of dollars or just hundreds of dollars. They usually have fine print that gives them gaping loopholes that allow them to pay for nothing. They are in the business of making money, and not in business to spend money on your car. And they take that lack of duty to their customer very seriously.
The Better Business Bureau’s Report
Most of the vehicle service extended warranty companies are located in Missouri. The BBB says that the worst offenders (as of 2011) are National Dealers Warranty, doing business as Stop Repair Bills; Service Protection Direct or Protection Direct; and Car Safe or Dealer Preferred Warranties. The Missouri Attorney General has sued them all. For more information on these scam types of companies, see the BBB’s report on this particular industry.
Local Businesses
These extended warranty type of companies should not be confused with your local auto repair shop that offers an oil change contract or other vehicle service agreement. Local businesses have valid plans that are usually a good deal for their customers. It is the types of companies that are mentioned in the BBB’s report that are the rip off.
