Seaside Auto Repair

I recently had a fantastic conversation with a woman about services needed for her car. Talking to people and getting to know them is why I love my job. She called me to talk about a concern she and her husband had about their older Toyota. As we talked and she expressed her concern, I had somewhat of an epiphany. That car that sits in your driveway is your Pot O’ Gold. Let me explain. As she described the issue with her car, she stressed to me that it was an “older” car. We discussed what they used this “older” car for and what their plans were for the car. She explained that, even though it was an older car, it was their only form of transportation. She explained how important this older Toyota was to them. Her husband needed to be able to make the 3 hour drive to his doctor appointments and be able to make the 3 hour drive home. I took the time to listen to all her concerns and we talked about solutions for each. During our talk, she discussed the conc ... read more

I am a true believer in preventative maintenance. If you have been reading my articles for some time, I am almost positive that I have covered almost all forms of vehicle maintenance and why it’s so important. You see, I have a love for cars. Most people tend to have a “preferred” car or a type of car that they love. In my house, we have a variety of makes and models ranging in make, model and year. Over the years I have owned or still own Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Acura, Honda, Mercedes, Jeep, Volkswagen and many more. Both old and new. I can tell you that as long as you take care of your car, it will take care of you. In present day, we are looking into hybrid and electric cars. Although, most would think that these vehicle are maintenance free, there are still many items that need to be maintained with both a hybrid or electric vehicle. Let’s start with the basics. Tires. It is of upmost importance, especially on a vehicle with an oversized battery, to rotate t ... read more

Cheers to a new year! We have been through so many challenges in the past year. One of those challenges has been lack of mobility. We Americans are resilient. We have adjusted and have found that we can still get things done with limited resources. One thing that may be suffering that we may be unaware of is our car. Like our bodies, when a car is idle many things can start to deteriorate. Most people will ask, “How can I need that service, I haven’t been driving as much?” So what happens to your car when it sits? When a vehicle sits for an extended period of time, the chemistry and structure are disrupted. Gaskets and seals become dry or brittle. Tires can become flat, brittle and the rubber starts to crack. Batteries drain, putting you in a situation of not starting when needed. Gasoline starts to gum up. Rust starts to spread and engine oil deteriorates. These are only a few examples of systems that are affected. Let’s look at gaskets and seals. Think of ... read more

Who is ready to get out and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine? ME!!! As our world opens up one of the first things that comes to mind is, “where are we going?” The real question is, “how will we get there?” Considering the precautions that we need continue to take to help stop the spread of the virus, travel by car seems to be the safest choice. The great American road trip will be the Summer of 2020 theme. Before you hit the road, there are a few things to think about and take care of to ensure that you have an enjoyable, carefree vacation. Now, I know many of you will think, these are no-brainers, but it’s always best to have checklist to make sure nothing is forgotten. Here is a short list of things to check or have checked. 1. Check for recalls. Recalls are put into place because they pose a threat to your safety or the safety of your passengers. Many vehicle manufactures used the same airbag company when they were building your cars. Check online at ... read more

We have learned a lot over the past few months. Some things we have had to re-learn and some are pretty new to our communities. Many of them are simple things. Relearning to wash and scrub our hands for 20 seconds, I don’t know about you but, I now sing Happy Birthday to myself many times a day. Disinfecting every single surface that could possibly be touched, our grandmothers would be so proud of us. Last but not least, social distancing. Growing up with siblings, my mom preached the two foot rule. If we didn’t give each other an arms length distance and we were caught bickering or starting to pick on each other, the bunny slipper would come flying! It was my moms way of keeping us from fighting, or at least trying to do so. Who would have known that a simple skill that we were taught while young would come back to be a huge part of our lives? You’re probably thinking, what does social distancing have to do with cars? Well, for me, it has made me realize how much I ... read more