Why is my Car Shaking?

July 26th, 2018
Have you noticed your vehicle shaking lately? Believe it or not this is a common problem. Most cars shake for a variety of reasons including engine, steering, or brake issues. Your vehicle can also shake and vibrate because of wheel damage, uneven tread wear, tire balance issues, or neglected tire maintenances. We like to start with the simple fixes first. These tire and wheel issues are fast, easy, and affordable to fix! Reasons Your Car Shakes
 
If your vehicle is vibrating and shaking while you cruise down the road, you might be thinking of a dozen reasons why it is happening. What about wheel damage?
 
You may not even remember hitting a curb or speeding through a pothole but a variety of unnoticed scenarios can damage your wheels. Wheel damage is a leading cause of cabin ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

Car Maintenance Items you Should Always Leave to the Professionals

November 30th, 2017

It used to be as common as falling leaves in autumn for people to work on their own cars.  And while this red-blooded American pastime has not completely disappeared from our world, the expense and complexity of newer cars make some repairs best left to the professionals. 

Here is a quick list of, "Don't try this at home"' auto repairs:

1.  Check Engine Diagnostics - With everyone from big box parts stores to smartphone app developers making it possible to talk to the computer in your car, many drivers think they can deal with a check engine light themselves. Here's the problem: many check engine codes are vague and require more sophisticated equipment to really get to the bottom of the story.  And please don't just turn the light off thinking you will fix the problem. This is like trying to cure a heart attack by unplugging the EKG. Let the pros read the codes, apply their educated ability to de ...[more]

  Posted in: Auto Repair 101

Why You Should Never Skip a Tire Rotation

September 7th, 2017

The cornering and rolling forces on each of your tires are different.  If you have a front wheel drive car, the power and most of the force is transmitted to the front tires while the rear tires pretty much just follow along like fixed wagon wheels.  A rear-wheel drive car or truck sends power to the back while steering forces are handled by the front wheels.  All-wheel drive and 4wd have their unique power, steering and cornering characteristics as well. 

The point is, your front left tire is going to wear differently than your right rear tire, or for that matter, any of the other tires vary at each corner of the vehicle because of the force and friction.Tire Rotation

The solution to this problem is tire rotation.  Tire rotation involves removing your wheels and tires from ...[more]

  Posted in: Tires 101

Get The Most Out Of That Set Of Tires

January 28th, 2016
Your tires are a pretty big investment. Even with the cheapest set of tires, you’re going to be spending upwards of $400 on the tires, mounting, balancing, disposal fees and taxes. Since you laid down that kind of money, doesn’t it just make sense to make sure you get the most miles possible out of them? 
Here’s some advice on long tire life:
 
Regularly check your tire pressure. This one is really, really important. Underinflated tires will wear 
unevenly and reduce your fuel economy due to increased rolling resistance. That increased rolling resistance also means more heat, which will break down the tires’ internal structure and sh ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

4 Budget Friendly Ways to Improve Mom’s Ride

May 14th, 2015

So we all know that May is devoted to Mother’s Day. In honor of mothers everywhere, here are a few helpful suggestions for you to show mom just how much you care.  
 
1. Oil Change - Getting Mom’s car an oil change would be a nice way to help her get the most miles out of her car. Regular oil changes keep moving parts lubricated, reducing friction and heat buildup, and prevent deposits of sludge and gunk from building up on internal engine assemblies. 
 
2. Wiper Replacement - Even the best windshield wipers need to be replaced every 12 months or so. We’ll get a look at the wi ...[more]
  Posted in: Auto Repair 101

Don’t Let Tire Problems Put the Brakes on Your Valentine’s Date

February 6th, 2015
Don’t let tire problems get in the way this Valentine’s day. How is your tire pressure? Do my tires need to be rotated? Is it time for an alignment? Do I need new tires? While these questions can seem daunting, with the help of tire professionals and various routine self-checks, any driver can maintain proper tire care and not miss that big date this Valentine’s Day. From tire rotations to air pressure, learning what signals might indicate tire replacement or repair is important for every vehicle owner. 
 
Let’s begin with tire air pressure. Perhaps one of the most obvious tire maintenance steps most drivers neglect until it’s too late is checking your tire’s air pressure. Even careful drivers with perfect tire upkeep lose around 1 psi (pound per square inch) per month, culmi ...[more]
  Posted in: Tires 101

Is it Time for a Tire Rotation?

August 28th, 2014

Tire rotation is an easy maintenance item that has long term benefits for any vehicle. When properly maintained, tire rotations can improve fuel economy, extend tire life and provide drivers better handling through improved stability. Frequently servicing vehicles with tire rotations is imperative to sustaining tire tread by ensuring all tires are used evenly without excessive wear to one section or another.

Normal tread wear is unavoidable due to uneven vehicle weight dispersal, vehicle performance, etc. Without tire rotations, tires continue to wear on the same areas over and over, causing irreversible damage to tire tread which drastically decreases tire life. Engine weight accounts for a major portion of vehicle weight, causing front tires to wear significantly faster than back tires. Front tires ...[more]

  Posted in: Tires 101