A vehicle should track straight on a flat, straight road with the steering wheel centered.  To keep it that way it is a good idea to have the alignment checked on an annual basis.  The condition of our roads can cause a vehicle to get knocked out of alignment by extremely rough roads or by […]

During the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone has been cleaning and sanitizing our hands, door knobs, glasses, countertops, tables & chairs.  But do you think about how many germs could be in your vehicle. Carentals.com performed a study that showed a steering wheel of a vehicle has 4 times more germs than a public toilet seat.  It […]

  The timing chain of a vehicles’ engine is designed to last the life time of the engine, if that engine is maintained properly.  Timing chains are not typically a maintenance service that needs to be replaced after so many miles or years like a timing belt. The best way to maintain an engine and […]

If the Check Engine/Service Engine Soon light is illuminated on your dash, the computer of your vehicle is seeing an error that affects the performance or the emission operation of your vehicle.  We recommend that you do NOT take it to DEQ.  The vehicle will fail the test and it will be recorded in the […]

Newer vehicles today are being sold with the misconception that they are maintenance free.  As an example the manufacturers have extended the life of oil changes to every 7,500 up to as much as 15,000 miles, instead of what has always been the automotive industry standard of every 3,000 miles. Transmission services have been extended […]

There are really only 2 things that you need to know to use the best oil for your vehicle.   What is the manufacture specified type, grade, and weight of the oil that your vehicle is designed to use.   The best oil for your vehicle is CLEAN oil, keeping it changed often enough to […]

The different mechanical systems in your vehicle need to have lubrication while they are operating.  The engine, the engine’s cooling system, the transmission, transfer case, differential(s), power steering, brake, and hydraulic clutch.  Not every vehicle is equipped with all of these systems, but each of these systems need special fluid to operate.  The fluid for […]

Living in the Pacific NW with the rain, snow and ice that we encounter each year, visibility is key to driving safe on the road.  Response time while driving needs to be as quick as possible, because of the increased braking distance needed on slippery roads.  Distracted driving or obscured visibility can increase that response […]

As reliable as most automatic transmissions are, they are relatively easy to break and quite expensive to fix.  Being aware of how your vehicle performs, and any change in performance, or noise while performing can be your first clue of an issue.   One of the most common signs that there may be a problem […]

The recession that hit our nation has changed how people save, invest and spend their money. We have all learned not to be quite so frivolous with our money and our continued and current economic situation has led more consumers to be fairly price conscious.  While price is important, it is also important not to […]